title: Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for antibodies to Clostridium difficile toxins in patients with pseudomembranous colitis and antibiotic-associated diarrhoea.
abstract: Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was established with purified toxins from Clostridium difficile as antigen to measure antibody response in patients with pseudomembranous colitis (PMC) and prolonged antibiotic-associated diarrhoea (AAD). Positive ELISA titres were defined in a control population. Antibodies of IgG class against toxin B were demonstrated in 6/88 (7%) control sera and in 31/61 (51%) sera from 11/19 (58%) patients. Antibodies of IgA class were found in one patient while antibodies of IgM class were not demonstrated. ELISA antibodies against toxin A were not demonstrated. For comparison a neutralization test was performed and neutralizing antibodies to toxin B but not to toxin A were demonstrated in 10/61 (16%) sera from 4/19 (21%) patients and in none of the controls. ELISA was found to be a more sensitive assay than neutralization. ELISA antibodies were detected from the third week of the disease while neutralizing antibodies appeared after 5 weeks. Lack of an antibody response in ELISA seemed to correlate to a more severe colitis.
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000009:adverse effects*; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis*; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D001427:Bacterial Toxins / Q000276:immunology*; D003013:Clostridium / Q000276:immunology*; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology; D004761:Enterocolitis, Pseudomembranous / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D006801:Humans
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D001427:Bacterial Toxins; C031815:toxB protein, Clostridium difficile