Serum antibody response to outer membrane proteins of Moraxella (Branhamella) catarrhalis in patients with bronchopulmonary infection.
A Western blot (immunoblot) method for detecting antibodies against outer membrane protein (OMP) epitopes of Moraxella (Branhamella) catarrhalis was evaluated. Paired serum samples from patients suspected of M. catarrhalis (n = 38) and non-M. catarrhalis (n = 25) bronchopulmonary infection were examined for the presence of antibodies of the immunoglobulin M (IgM), IgG, and IgA classes to OMPs from M. catarrhalis by a gel electrophoresis-immunoperoxidase technique (Western blotting); sera from 40 healthy adult blood donors were also included. A significantly (P = 0.004) more frequent occurrence of IgM-class antibodies and/or an increase in the number of IgG-class antibodies against different M. catarrhalis OMPs from acute- to convalescent-phase serum samples was found for patients with M. catarrhalis (79%) than for patients without M. catarrhalis (40%). IgM-class antibodies against OMPs of M. catarrhalis were found in acute- and/or convalescent-phase serum samples form 58% of patients with M. catarrhalis and 32% of patients without M. catarrhalis. Fifty percent of patients with M. catarrhalis and 16% of patients without M. catarrhalis had, from acute- to convalescent-phase serum samples, an increased number of IgG-class antibodies directed against different OMPs. A total of 34% of patients with M. catarrhalis and 4% of patients without M. catarrhalis had, from acute- to convalescent-phase serum samples, an increased number of IgA-class antibodies directed against different OMPs. The present study indicates that M. catarrhalis is one of the bacteria involved in acute exacerbations of chronic bronchitis.
Department of Clinical Microbiology, Bispebjerg Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark.
J J
JJ
Christensen
N Q
NQ
Hansen
B
B
Bruun
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood*; D001425:Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins / Q000032:analysis / Q000276:immunology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007164:Immunosorbents; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D001936:Moraxella catarrhalis / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology*; D016870:Neisseriaceae Infections / Q000276:immunology*; D012141:Respiratory Tract Infections / Q000276:immunology* / Q000382:microbiology
D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D001425:Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins; D007164:Immunosorbents