title: Adherence of haemagglutinating streptococci of serological group B to alveolar macrophages of rabbits.
abstract: In this study, selected haemagglutination-positive and haemagglutination-negative streptococci of serological group B were investigated in HeLa-cell- and alveolar-macrophage adherence tests. The cultures, isolated from bovine milk samples, had been previously serotyped and further characterized. All haemagglutination-positive group B streptococci adhered in high numbers to HeLa cells and alveolar-macrophages of rabbits. Haemagglutination-negative group B streptococci showed no comparable adherence. The adherence to alveolar-macrophages of rabbits was further characterized. This adherence appeared to be time- and temperature-dependent and could be inhibited by heat or proteolytic treatment of the bacteria. After opsonization of the bacteria, an adherence to alveolar-macrophages could also be observed for haemagglutination-negative group B streptococci, indicating a separate adherence mechanism. The group B streptococcal adherence might represent an important prerequisite for invasion and possibly intracellular survival of this bacterial species.
authors.affiliation: Institut für Bakteriologie und Immunologie, Justus-Liebig-Universität Giessen, Germany.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Bopp
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lämmler
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Herrmann
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001422:Bacterial Adhesion / Q000502:physiology*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D006386:Hemagglutination Tests / Q000662:veterinary; D016676:Macrophages, Alveolar / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology; D008892:Milk / Q000382:microbiology; D011817:Rabbits; D013290:Streptococcal Infections / Q000382:microbiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D013292:Streptococcus agalactiae / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology