Four murine monoclonal antibodies which reacted with a (2----8)alpha-linked sialic acid polysaccharide were produced. Three of the antibodies reacted specifically with Neisseria meningitidis serogroup B and Escherichia coli K-1 polysaccharide antigens, whereas one antibody cross-reacted with N. meningitidis group C polysaccharide antigen, a (2----9)alpha-linked homopolymer of sialic acid. By using the most avid antibody (MB 62), a latex particle agglutination test was developed which could detect capsular polysaccharide at 10 ng/ml. It also detected antigen in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of all seven N. meningitidis group B- and two E. coli K-1-infected patients, whereas 57 control CSF samples, including 8 from neonates, were negative. Cultures of 21 N. meningitidis group B strains, 7 E. coli K-1 strains, and 1 Moraxella nonliquefaciens strain gave a positive result, whereas 53 strains from other serogroups were all negative. In a separate clinical evaluation, the overall sensitivity of the latex particle agglutination test was 81% (22 of 27) with fresh CSF samples, 48% (15 of 31) with stored CSF samples, and 94% (32 of 34) with blood cultures. No false-positive reactions were recorded with 165 control CSF samples, and the specificity with blood cultures was 99.4% (519 of 522).
A total of 139 random samples of serum taken at intervals during chemotherapy from 16 patients were analysed using agglutination methods for the serological diagnosis of tuberculosis. The series comprised six cases of far advanced pulmonary tuberculosis, four cases with advanced lesions, two cases with minimal spread and four controls. The samples were analysed simultaneously and independently using two different batches of antigen in two test systems. The test results were comparable in the two series and the diagnostic outcome of the test was not encouraging, the percentages of false negatives being 52 and 60 or 9 and 32, depending on the criteria selected, and those of false positives being 3 and 0 or 59 and 44 respectively. The magnitude of the titres obtained did not reflect the severity of the disease. In addition the test did not prove useful as a method for following up the results of treatment of individual patients in this series.
A fatal case of infectious mononucleosis occurred in a young adult. Abnormal serological features were noted in his mother, although there was no other family history suggesting an inherited defect of immune response to Epstein-Barr virus (EBV). The cellular infiltrate observed in tissues obtained at necropsy was analysed with a range of specific monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies. Polyclonal plasmacytoid B cell proliferation had occurred in many tissues. These cells were positive for EBV nuclear antigen, but viral particles were not seen on ultrastructural examination, and the virus was not isolated, suggesting a non-permissive infection.
We report on the specificity of a monoclonal antibody which reacts with autoclaved extracts of four species of enterococci but does not react to the same extent with similar extracts from two non-enterococcal group D streptococci. The monoclonal antibody also reacts specifically with purified lipoteichoic acid from Streptococcus faecalis but not significantly with purified lipoteichoic acid from the non-enterococcal species Streptococcus bovis and Streptococcus equinus. The specific antigen detected with this antibody could correlate with the definition of the enterococcus sub-group of the streptococci which would provide further evidence that this sub-group is taxonomically distinct from the other group D streptococci.
'%3e%3cpath fill='%23012169' d='M0 0v30h60V0z'/%3e%3cpath stroke='%23fff' stroke-width='6' d='m0 0 60 30m0-30L0 30'/%3e%3cpath stroke='%23C8102E' stroke-width='4' d='m0 0 60 30m0-30L0 30' clip-path='url(%23b)'/%3e%3cpath stroke='%23fff' stroke-width='10' d='M30 0v30M0 15h60'/%3e%3cpath stroke='%23C8102E' stroke-width='6' d='M30 0v30M0 15h60'/%3e%3c/g%3e%3c/svg%3e)
'%3e%3ccircle r='20' fill='%23008'/%3e%3ccircle r='17.5' fill='%23fff'/%3e%3ccircle r='3.5' fill='%23008'/%3e%3cg id='d'%3e%3cg id='c'%3e%3cg id='b'%3e%3cg id='a' fill='%23008'%3e%3ccircle r='.875' transform='rotate(7.5 -8.75 133.5)'/%3e%3cpath d='M0 17.5.6 7 0 2l-.6 5L0 17.5z'/%3e%3c/g%3e%3cuse xlink:href='%23a' transform='rotate(15)'/%3e%3c/g%3e%3cuse xlink:href='%23b' transform='rotate(30)'/%3e%3c/g%3e%3cuse xlink:href='%23c' transform='rotate(60)'/%3e%3c/g%3e%3cuse xlink:href='%23d' transform='rotate(120)'/%3e%3cuse xlink:href='%23d' transform='rotate(-120)'/%3e%3c/g%3e%3c/svg%3e)
