The presence of fecal SH-antigen has not been reported previously.1,2 Thus, we describe our recent findings.
The techniques for the preparation of feces (2.0-3.0 gm instead of 20-30 gm of feces) and for the detection of SH-antigen by the Ouchterlony method were described elsewhere.3 The sera of a technician (subject 1) and a nurse (subject 2) were used as anti-SH reagents. These antisera were able to detect SH-antigen in 38 and 33 sera, respectively, of a panel of 40 SH-antigen positive reagents. Fecal preparations gave precipitin lines of identity when assayed against these anti-SH antisera, as well as against various reference anti-SH antisera (Fig 1, left). Lines of identity were also observed when the precipitin pattern of fecal material of an individual was compared with that of serum from the same individual, as well as with other SH-antigen positive sera (Fig 1, right).
Fecal samples from 55 patients