Estimation of antistreptococcal esterase in rheumatic fever and rheumatic heart disease.

In hemolytic streptococcal infection, a high ASE value in the absence of a rise in ASO has shown to occasionally occur. The relationship between ASO and ASE titers in rheumatic fever and rheumatic heart disease and the significance of these values was therefore studied. ASE values were measured by ASE Kit "Marupi" in 8 patients during the acute stage of rheumatic fever and in 9 patients with rheumatic heart disease, and then compared with the corresponding ASO values. Among the patients with rheumatic fever, a rise of ASO only was seen in 1 patient and a rise of ASE only was seen in another. In the remaining 6 patients, both ASE and ASO were elevated. Only in 1 patient with rheumatic heart disease was ASE found to be elevated.