Abstract: The immune response to streptococcus in 40 patients with acute guttate psoriasis (AGP) and 10 patients with chronic plaque psoriasis (CPP) has been studied using immunoblotting technique (IBT). The immune responses to staphylococcus and Candida albicans in patients with AGP were also studied using this technique. Patients with AGP had a significantly higher (P<0.01) anti.streptococcal antibody score than that in control group and this score is also higher than that in CPP group (P<0.05); anti-streptococcal antibody score of patients with AGP in progressive stage is not significantly higher than that in remission stage (P>0.05). No statistical differences in the anti.staphylococcal and anti-Candida albicans antibody score were observed between AGP and control group (P>0.05). The immune reponse to streptococcus in patients with AGP using intradermal test of inactivated streptococci was also studied, 26 of 40 patients presented positive results. Our results prove that streptococcal infections are closely correlated with the onset of acute guttate psoriasis.

Key words: Psoriasis, Streptococcal infections, Immunoblotting