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Investigation findings are generalized based on quantitation of antibodies against the antigens of intestinal microorganisms of Enterobacteriaceae family conducted in 66 children with various joint disease using the enzyme-linked immunoassay (ELISA) methodology. High antibody titres were revealed in 77.1% juvenile rheumatoid arthritis cases and in 80% cases with chronic juvenile arthritis which was not defined nosologically. All the patients with reactive arthritis associated with intestinal infection showed high tension of immunity to all tested enterobacteriaceae antigens with cross reactions to them. Patients with reactive arthritis associated with oral infection, with Reiter's disease and other disorders exhibited high antibody titres at the same rate as in the control.

Presented are findings of comparative studies of the clinico-immunological parameters and the microcirculatory bed status in 17 DM I probands and 37 of their family members and in 17 SLE probands with 54 of their relatives. The DM I families were found to have DM and prediabetic cases, while among the SLE probands' families rheumatic and, less frequently, cardiovascular diseases prevailed. In the DM I probands' families, a significantly greater number of relatives were found to have rheumatoid factor, high IgG level, anti-DNA antibodies, and CIC (as compared to the SLE series). Both DM I and SLE groups demonstrated reduced efficacy of the cutaneous circulation as compared to norm; in the DM I relatives this disorder was more pronounced than in SLE relatives. The degree to which circulatory changes were pronounced was related to immunological disorders.

ELISA quantitation of antibodies to Klebsiella pneumonia, Proteus mirabilis, and Yersinia enterocolitica was conducted in 75 ankylosing spondylitis (AS), rheumatoid arthritis (RA), and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) probands and in 262 of their first-degree relatives. The control group comprised 28 healthy donors. Sixteen (64 per cent) AS probands (12 with B27+) and 26 (30.2 per cent) their relatives (14 with B27+) were found to have high titres of antibodies to Klebsiella pneumonia. In 18 (60 per cent) active RA probands and 27 (23.7 per cent) relatives, antibodies to Proteus mirabilis were found. The obtained results suggest the presence of genetic determinants of the increased immune response to various infectious agents, at least in the AS cases. The possibility of Enterobacteriaceae acting as polyclonal stimulators is not excluded.