0000000000122222
AUTHOR
Graham J. Boulnois
Surface Components of Escherichia coli That Mediate Resistance to the Bactericidal Activities of Serum and Phagocytes
Microorganisms that enter the animal body, either actively or passively, encounter a battery of nonspecific and specific chemical and cellular defenses whose role is to inactivate and eliminate foreign materials. Successful pathogens have the ability to avoid, resist, or inactivate these defenses for at least the period necessary for initiation of the disease process.
Serotyping and genotyping of encapsulated Escherichia coli K1 sepsis isolates with a monoclonal IgG anti K1 antibody and K1 gene probes
Among infectious diseases caused by E. coli the capsular type K1 plays a predominant role. E. coli K1 isolates account for 80% of cases of E. coli neonatal meningitis and 30% of E. coli sepsis strains. Serotyping of K1 strains has conventionally relied upon the use of K1-specific bacteriophages or serum agar methods with polyvalent anti K1 serum. In the study present here, 187 E. coli sepsis isolates have been analysed for production of the K1 antigen using K1 phages, K1 serum agar plates and Latex agglutination and ELISA using an IgG2a anti K1 monoclonal antibody. In total, 33 sepsis isolates (about 18%) were identified as K1 positive, with three of these strains proving negative in all te…