Checking Family Members

[sf_mom]

Many of you know our story and because 'all our children' were exposed to a resilient strain of strep potentially M1 or M18 via RF we decided to check all family members ASO and Anti-DNAse-B titers. Prior cultures were negative.

 

My results: ASO 102, Anti-DNAse-B Negative <60,

 

My husbands: ASO 283, Anti-DNAse-B 680.

 

Obviously, my husband's titers are high indicative of a strep infection.

[dcmom]

Wendy-

 

What did the doctor say? Do you think this is a current strep infection, recent, or how long ago? Did you dh have any symptoms of illness in that time frame? Does he have any history with strep? Has he been cultured recently?

 

My dh and I have both been cultured twice, negative, in the last year. We are planning to have our titers done this month.

 

Keep us posted...

[sf_mom]

Both of us were cultured and were negative in September (Dog also checked).

 

BUT, here is something interesting....

 

When we moved to our current house in August of 2008 I started having dual knee pain which over the next year evolved into dual hip pain, leg cramps at night, hair loss, odd moments of fatigue, urinary frequency (went to the Dr. twice for what I thought was a bladder infection). That year in June, Corsa had his first TIC of a cough and we were trying to resolve it all the way through August.... everyone in our house got the flu at the end of August and that is when the dual knee pain started. I attributed all my symptoms to having had a twin pregnancy and change of hormones. In November/December of this year I got a cold and the symptoms went off the chart. So painful I could not sleep. Well, I decided to treat myself with antibiotics for about 3 to 4 weeks. I am now symptomless after having suffered for over a year. I have talked with Dr. K about this strange illness and I am not sure it isn't all related.

 

My husband doesn't show ANY signs of being physically ill. Although, he does hold his hands in a strange 'milk maid grip' all the time but doesn't open and close his hands. He has gotten sick along with each flu and cold that has entered our home which feels like a lot. I have not always gotten sick.

 

Again, I hope our experience helps others.

 

- Wendy

[memom]

Thanks for posting this. What I don't know, is how long if the infection is treated effectively, will the antibody titers stay elevated? My suspicion is the ASO would drop within a month, the Anti-dnase may take longer (since it is slower to rise after an infection).

 

Given how high you husbands are, I would agree looks like he currently has strep somewhere.

 

Your symptoms also sound suspicious. I am glad they are gone, but wonder if you had tested your titers at that time if they would have been elevated. If they return, I would sure follow up on that. Remember that you can get joint pain with rheumatic fever. You can also get it in your urine (I was talking with a MD OBGYN collegue yesterday about a pregnant patient of hers who mentioned her child has been diagnosed with Pandas. She herself just got out of the hospital with a raging GABHS pylonephritis. She wondered if there was a connection. The MD thought probably not, I said absolutely yes! Too coincidental.

 

I may consider getting my titers checked. I did do a throat culture this summer and it was negative. I had my 20yo sons titers checked last month (suspicious of mental health symptoms that resembled encephalitis like his sisters Pandas brain) and found them to be significantly elevated (antidnase B 473, ASO 645 both reference ranges should be less than 200). He has what we think may be adolescent onset (started 4 years ago, about the same time his sister was ramping up with Pandas OCD but not yet diagnosed). I have never had my husbands or my titers checked but may ask for it at his next blood draw.

 

Thanks again for the posting.

 

Ellie

[mama2alex]

Wow! So glad you checked the titers. Thanks for suggesting this. We got the lab orders yesterday from Dr. T (the Palo Alto Dr. T) and both my husband and I will be getting blood drawn in the next few days. We both cultured negative recently, but I honestly wouldn't be surprised if one of us has an undetected strep infection somewhere other than the throat.

[swim]

With our younger son suddenly showing PANDAS symptoms over the last week (our 11 year old has been dealing with PANDAS for about 6 years), my husband and I are getting tested today with throat culture, nose culture, AOS and Anti DNAse B. The younger son was tested yesterday, so hoping for some results soon. Thank you for sharing your results as it reconfirmed that we needed to be tested, too, and we are not crazy to do the blood work. Never know what we night find!

[sf_mom]

We are going to treat husband with antibiotics for 30 days. I will add he has had some strange lower intestinal issues that have kept him up at night off and on for the last couple of years. We hope to test and follow his titers as they drop. I'll keep you posted as to what we find a month from now.

 

-Wendy

[Tattoomom]

We both cultured negative recently, but I honestly wouldn't be surprised if one of us has an undetected strep infection somewhere other than the throat.

 

 

If you have "hidden" strep somewhere in the body, would the ASO & DNASE titers show it?

[Buster]

We both cultured negative recently, but I honestly wouldn't be surprised if one of us has an undetected strep infection somewhere other than the throat.

 

 

If you have "hidden" strep somewhere in the body, would the ASO & DNASE titers show it?

Not necessarily. Depends on timing and where the strep is located. ASO does not rise for skin strep. Also some 31+% of children won't have a rising titer despite a positive culture and perfect timing of blood test.