Lectins in diagnostic microbiology: use of wheat germ agglutinin for laboratory identification of Neisseria gonorrhoeae.
A lectin slide agglutination test has been developed for the confirmatory identification of Neisseria gonorrhoeae. With wheat germ lectin as an agglutinin, 164 of 165 clinical isolates of N. gonorrhoeae gave a 3 to 4+ reaction within 6 to 8 min. Four gonococcal isolates, even though negative by the fluoresecent-antibody method, gave strong positive reactions with the wheat germ lectin. Among 23 isolates of Neisseria meningitidis tested, which included representatives of sero-groups A, B, C,D, X, Y, and Z, only one strain in group X gave a false-positive reaction. The nonpathogenic species of Neisseria, as well as Branhamella catarrhalis, all showed negative reactions with the wheat germ agglutinin. The novel method provides a simple, rapid, and inexpensive means for the laboratory diagnosis of gonorrhea and obviates the need for performing second-stage sugar fermentation studies or utilizing the more expensive fluorescent-antibody techniques.
D000117:Acetylglucosamine / Q000494:pharmacology; D000371:Agglutination / Q000187:drug effects; D000372:Agglutination Tests / Q000379:methods*; D000939:Epitopes; D005690:Galactose / Q000494:pharmacology; D006069:Gonorrhea / Q000382:microbiology; D006801:Humans; D037102:Lectins / Q000276:immunology; D009343:Neisseria / Q000276:immunology; D009344:Neisseria gonorrhoeae / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D009345:Neisseria meningitidis / Q000276:immunology; D009346:Neisseriaceae / Q000276:immunology; D037121:Plant Lectins; D014908:Triticum
D000939:Epitopes; D037102:Lectins; D037121:Plant Lectins; D000117:Acetylglucosamine; D005690:Galactose