Serological response of patients infected with Salmonella enteritidis phage type 4

The serodiagnosis of human infections with Yersinia enterocolitica and Yersinia pseudotuberculosis

The techniques of sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and immunoblotting were evaluated for the serodiagnosis of human infections with Yersinia enterocolitica and Yersinia pseudotuberculosis. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) was prepared from strains comprising four serogroups of Y. enterocolitica and five serogroups of Y. pseudotuberculosis, tested against 200 sera submitted to the Laboratory of Enteric Pathogens for routine serodiagnosis, and shown to contain antibodies to Yersinia LPS by agglutination. Forty four sera were found to contain antibodies that bound to one of the LPS preparations used in the immunoassay. Thirty five of the sera contained antibodies to the LPS of Y. enterocolitica O3, whilst three contained antibodies to the LPS of Y. enterocolitica O5, 27 and Y. enterocolitica O9 LPS respectively. Two sera had antibodies to the LPS of Y. pseudotuberculosis II and a single serum contained antibodies to Y. pseudotuberculosis IV. The SDS-PAGE-immunoblotting procedure described proved to be a reliable procedure for the serodiagnosis of infections with Y. enterocolitica and Y. pseudotuberculosis.

An immunoblotting procedure comprising O = 9,12 and H = d antigens as an alternative to the Widal agglutination assay

AIMS

To compare the established Widal agglutination assay with an immunoblotting procedure.

METHODS

110 sera were used to compare the established Widal agglutination assay with an immunoblotting procedure incorporating lipopolysaccharide (LPS) (O = 9,12) and flagellar (H = d) antigens.

RESULTS

Antibodies to the LPS antigens were detected in 18 sera by the Widal assay and in 37 by immunoblotting. Antibodies to the flagellar antigens were detected in 27 sera by Widal assay and in 25 by immunoblotting.

CONCLUSIONS

An immunoblotting procedure incorporating O = 9,12 LPS and H = d flagellar antigens was rapid and more sensitive than the established Widal agglutination assay for providing evidence of infection with S typhi.