Enzyme-linked immunospecific antibody test for detecting antibody to Klebsiella

A case of rhinoscleroma cured with ciprofloxacin

The diagnosis of rhinoscleroma was confirmed in a 17-year-old female patient from Tehran, Iran, suffering from a roundish tumour of the nose. Prior treatment with streptomycin and tetracycline had been unsuccessful. A three-month course of high-dose oral ciprofloxacin (750 mg b.i.d.) led to prompt cessation of the growth of the granuloma which was removed later by plastic surgery. Although serology alone appeared to have little value for the specific diagnosis of rhinoscleroma, a significant increase of IgG antibodies during treatment with ciprofloxacin confirmed infection by Klebsiella rhinoscleromatis in this case.

A murine monoclonal antibody against Klebsiella capsular polysaccharide is opsonic in vitro and protects against experimental Klebsiella pneumoniae infection

Murine monoclonal antibodies (mAb) of the immunoglobulin M class specific for the K2 capsular polysaccharide (CPS) of Klebsiella were isolated. One such mAb, termed III/5-1, was selected for further study. This mAb promoted the uptake and killing of Klebsiella pneumoniae K2 strains by human granulocytes and activated complement after contact with the bacteria. The efficiency of mAb-mediated phagocytosis and complement activation was inversely related to the amount of capsular material produced by the test strain. MAb III/5-1 was found to be effective at preventing fatal experimental K. pneumoniae K2 sepsis when administered prophylactically, the degree of protection being dependent upon the amount of CPS produced by the challenge strain.

Effect of human polymorphonuclear and mononuclear leukocytes on chromosomal and plasmid DNA of Escherichia coli. Role of acid DNase

Phagocytosis and killing by polymorphonuclear and mononuclear leukocytes are important host resistance factors against invading microorganisms. Evidence showing that killing is rapidly followed by degradation of bacterial components is limited. Therefore, we studied the fate of Escherichia coli DNA following phagocytosis of E. coli by polymorphonuclear and mononuclear leukocytes. [3H]thymidine-labeled, unencapsulated E. coli PC2166 and E. coli 048K1 were incubated in serum, washed, and added to leukocytes. Uptake and killing of the bacteria and degradation of DNA were measured. Although phagocytosis and killing by mononuclear leukocytes was less efficient than that by polymorphonuclear leukocytes, only mononuclear leukocytes were able to degrade E. coli PC2166 DNA. Within 2 h, 60% of the radioactivity added to mononuclear leukocytes was released into the supernate, of which 40% was acid soluble. DNA of E. coli 048K1 was not degraded. To further analyze the capacity of mononuclear leukocytes to degrade E. coli DNA, chromosomal and plasmid DNA was isolated from ingested bacteria and subjected to agarose gel-electrophoresis. Only chromosomal DNA was degraded after phagocytosis. Plasmid DNA of E. coli carrying a gene coding for ampicillin resistance remained intact for a 2-h period after ingestion, and was still able to transform recipient E. coli cells after this period. Although we observed no DNA degradation during phagocytosis by polymorphonuclear leukocytes, lysates of both polymorphonuclear and mononuclear leukocytes contained acid-DNase activity with a pH optimum of 4.9. However, the DNase activity of mononuclear leukocytes was 20 times higher than that of polymorphonuclear leukocytes. No difference was observed between DNase activity from polymorphonuclear and mononuclear leukocytes from a chronic granulomatous disease patient with DNase activity from control polymorphonuclear and mononuclear leukocytes.

Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for human IgG, IgA, and IgM antibodies to antigens from anaerobic cultures of seven oral bacteria

Monocultures of 7 oral bacteria were grown anaerobically, and antigens were partially purified from the supernatant fluids by gel filtration. Isoelectric focussing showed that the antigen fractions contained PAS-positive material and proteins focussing between pH 3.5 and pH 5.5. Specific activity against the 7 antigen fractions was observed for IgG, IgA, and IgM in serum from patients with periodontal disease by means of enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Conditions for antigen coating in ELISA were studied, and large variations with regard to optimal concentration were found among the 7 fractions. The ELISA readings were virtually unaffected by increasing the pH of the coating buffer from 5 to 9. Addition of sheep serum to the incubation buffer was disadvantageous as the serum showed moderate antibody activity to the 7 antigen fractions, and human serum apparently contained IgM antibodies to sheep IgG. Addition of 0.5% BSA improved the reproducibility of ELISA considerably, although the sensitivity was somewhat decreased.