Antibodies to Eubacterium and Peptostreptococcus species and the estimated probability of Crohn's disease.

Anaerobic coccoid rods belonging to species of Eubacterium and Peptostreptococcus agglutinate more frequently with sera from patients with Crohn's disease than with sera from patients suffering from other diseases and from healthy subjects. Results of agglutination test with four strains of coccoid anaerobes were used to estimate the probability that a patient suffers from Crohn's disease. The data on healthy subjects and patients with Crohn's disease were subjected to logistic discriminant analysis. With the methods and interpretation described, 52% of the patients with Crohn's disease were recognized as 'definite' or 'probable' Crohn's disease and 14% as 'suspected'. Only 1% of the healthy subjects were classified as 'suspected' and non as 'definite' or 'probable' Crohn's disease.