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Immunoglobulin G antibodies toPseudomonas aeruginosa lipopolysaccharides and exotoxin A in patients with cystic fibrosis or bacteremia

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Abstract

IgG antibodies to ninePseudomonas aeruginosa lipopolysaccharides (LPS) and exotoxin A in sera from 11 patients with bacteremia and 51 patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) were analyzed. The methods used were enzyme immunoassay (EIA) and immunoblotting. Nine of the 11 bacteremic patients were infected with strains expressing an LPS serotype identical to one of the test antigens. In sera from six of these nine patients, antibody homologous to the serotype of the infecting strain was observed. An antibody response to heterologousPseudomonas aeruginosa LPS antigens was observed in nine patients. Eight of the bacteremic patients mounted an antibody response to exotoxin A. Thirty-five CF patients chronically colonized withPseudomonas aeruginosa possessed significantly higher levels of antibody to all of the test antigens than 16 patients with intermittent or no colonization (p<0.001). For exotoxin A and serotype 3 the sensitivity was 91 % and 94 %, and the specificity 94 % and 88 % respectively. When the results for exotoxin A and serotype 3 were combined, the sensitivity was 91 % while the specificity was 81 %. The pronounced antibody response to heterologous LPS antigens, as measured by the EIA and immunoblot, suggests expression of a common antigen determinant. A simplified serological assay utilizing exotoxin A and serotype 3 as test antigens may be useful for detectingPseudomonas aeruginosa infections in patients with CF and chronic colonization and in bacteremic patients from whom cultures are not available.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Clinical Microbiology, Stockholm County Council Central Microbiological Laboratory, PO Box 70470, S-107 26, Stockholm, Sweden

    A. Brauner & H. S. Hanson

  2. Swiss Serum and Vaccine Institute, PO Box 2707, CH-3001, Bern, Switzerland

    S. J. Cryz

  3. Department of Clinical Microbiology, Karolinska Hospital, S-104 01, Stockholm, Sweden

    M. Granström

  4. Department of Clinical Bacteriology, Danderyd Hospital, S-182 88, Danderyd, Sweden

    L. Löfstrand & B. Wretlind

  5. Department of Pediatrics, University of Göteborg, S-416 85, Göteborg, Sweden

    B. Strandvik

Authors
  1. A. Brauner
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  2. S. J. Cryz
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  3. M. Granström
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  4. H. S. Hanson
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  5. L. Löfstrand
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  6. B. Strandvik
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  7. B. Wretlind
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Brauner, A., Cryz, S.J., Granström, M. et al. Immunoglobulin G antibodies toPseudomonas aeruginosa lipopolysaccharides and exotoxin A in patients with cystic fibrosis or bacteremia. Eur. J. Clin. Microbiol. Infect. Dis. 12, 430–436 (1993). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01967437

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