Low Levels of Antibodies to Surface Antigens of Group B Streptococci in Commercial IgG Preparations

The role of maternally acquired antibody to native type III polysacchande of group B Streptococcus as a determinant of susceptibility for infant systemic infection was investigated. Sera from 11 1 acutely ill infants with type III group B streptococcal bacteremia and/or meningitis and their mothers, and cord sera from 45 healthy neonates and their mothers who had type III group B streptococcal vaginal colonization at delivery were studied. Sera from each of 111 acutely ill infants contained very low levels ofantibody (sjlt 1.7 µg/ml, median 0.4 µg/ml), and a significant correlation with maternal levels was tested for early onset infection (median 0.6 µg/ml; r = .76; P sjlt .01). Women whose infants remained well had antibody levels sjgt 2 µg/ml in their sera (73%) more often than those whose infants developed symptomatic infection (17%) (P sjlt .001), and the median level in their sera (12.6 µg/ml) was considerably higher. Study of sera obtained during convalescence from 86 surviving infants indicated a poor antibody response to infection. In contrast, high levels of antibody were detected in sera from each of five convalescent women with postpartum bacteremia. These data extend earlier observations suggesting the correlation between low levels of type-specific antibody in serum and risk for systemic infection with type III strains of group B streptococci.

Download Full-text

Quantitation of Serum Antibodies to Surface Antigens of Group B Streptococci Types Ia, Ib, and III: Low Antibody Levels in Mothers of Neonatally Infected Infants

Scandinavian Journal of Infectious Diseases ◽

10.3109/inf.1980.12.issue-2.06 ◽

1980 ◽

Vol 12 (2) ◽

pp. 105-110 ◽

Cited By ~ 33

Author(s):

Karen Kvist Christensen ◽

Poul Christensen ◽

Kerstin Dahlander ◽

Gerd Faxelius ◽

Bengt Jacobson ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Surface Antigens ◽

Serum Antibodies ◽

Group B Streptococci ◽

Group B ◽

Antibody Levels

Download Full-text

Properties of group B streptococci with protein surface antigens X and R.

Journal of Clinical Microbiology ◽

10.1128/jcm.28.12.2834-2836.1990 ◽

1990 ◽

Vol 28 (12) ◽

pp. 2834-2836 ◽

Cited By ~ 17

Author(s):

I W Wibawan ◽

C Lämmler

Keyword(s):

Surface Antigens ◽

Protein Surface ◽

Group B Streptococci ◽

Group B

Download Full-text

Mannose-Binding Lectin Binds to a Range of Clinically Relevant Microorganisms and Promotes Complement Deposition

Infection and Immunity ◽

10.1128/iai.68.2.688-693.2000 ◽

2000 ◽

Vol 68 (2) ◽

pp. 688-693 ◽

Cited By ~ 371

Author(s):

Olaf Neth ◽

Dominic L. Jack ◽

Alister W. Dodds ◽

Helen Holzel ◽

Nigel J. Klein ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Immune Defense ◽

Mannose Binding Lectin ◽

Dependent Manner ◽

Group B Streptococci ◽

Concentration Dependent Manner ◽

Mannose Binding ◽

Low Levels ◽

Serum Lectin ◽

Group B ◽

Binding Lectin

ABSTRACT Mannose-binding lectin (MBL) is a collagenous serum lectin believed to be of importance in innate immunity. Genetically determined low levels of the protein are known to predispose to infections. In this study the binding of purified MBL to pathogens isolated from immunocompromised children was investigated by flow cytometry. DiverseCandida species, Aspergillus fumigatus,Staphylococcus aureus, and beta-hemolytic group A streptococci exhibited strong binding of MBL, whereas Escherichia coli, Klebsiella species, and Haemophilus influenzae type b were characterized by heterogeneous binding patterns. In contrast, beta-hemolytic group B streptococci,Streptococcus pneumoniae, and Staphylococcus epidermidis showed low levels of binding. Bound MBL was able to promote C4 deposition in a concentration-dependent manner. We conclude that MBL may be of importance in first-line immune defense against several important pathogens.

Download Full-text