title: Biochemical characterization and worldwide distribution of serologically distinct lipopolysaccharides of Haemophilus influenzae type b.
abstract: The sugar composition and the electrophoretic mobility in SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of the various lipopolysaccharides (LPS) from clinical isolates of Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) were determined to correlate epidemiologic data with compositional data. Rabbit sera specific in Ouchterlony immunodiffusion for 10 different LPS (LPS 1-10) reacted with 647 or 690 Hib strains isolated from patients with invasive disease in various continents. Serotype 1 was predominant and was found in 550 isolates (80%). None of the Hib isolates reacted with antisera specific for LPS of two nonencapsulated isolates (LPS 5 and 6). Sugar analysis by gas-liquid chromatography of trimethylsilylated methyl glycosides revealed that the LPS of the 10 serotypes contained glucose, galactose, L-glycero-D-mannoheptose, and glucosamine in various proportions. LPS 1, 2, 8, and 9 contained the highest amounts of glucose and galactose relative to L-glycero-D-mannoheptose, which is considered present in constant amounts in H. influenzae LPS. LPS 1, 2, and 9 were most frequently found in invasive disease isolates.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Microbiology, University of Amsterdam, Academic Medical Center, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: van Alphen
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Klein
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Geelen-van den Broek
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Riemens
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Eijk
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Kamerling
mesh_terms: D002241:Carbohydrates / Q000032:analysis*; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D006193:Haemophilus influenzae / Q000032:analysis* / Q000145:classification / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007106:Immune Sera / Q000276:immunology; D005779:Immunodiffusion; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000032:analysis* / Q000276:immunology; D012703:Serotyping
chemical_list: D002241:Carbohydrates; D007106:Immune Sera; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides