Analysis by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and immunoblot of the antibody responses of patients infected with Mycobacterium marinum.
The serum antibody responses of a total of 14 patients with active or recently cured Mycobacterium marinum infections were analysed via a combination of enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and the immunodevelopment of Western blots of M. marinum antigen. Normal human sera and sera from patients with active pulmonary tuberculosis were also analysed as controls. The detectable IgG response of M. marinum patients, as demonstrated by ELISA, was highly variable and did not differ significantly from normal controls. IgA and IgM levels were generally low in the M. marinum patients and were not significantly different from normal controls. Immunodevelopment of Western blots of M. marinum antigen with the sera of patients with M. marinum infections revealed that a number of antigens were recognised. Of particular note was an 18-kDa species that was recognised by 11 out of 14 patients (and by none of the normal controls). The 18-kDa antigen may be a useful serodiagnostic marker in the identification of M. marinum infections.
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Dunhill Dermatology Laboratory, 5th Floor, Thomas Guy House, Guy's Hospital, St. John's Institute of Dermatology, The Guy's, King's College and St. Thomas' Hospitals' Medical and Dental School, University of London, London, UK. verityblackwell@hotmail.com
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D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood*; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial / Q000276:immunology; D015153:Blotting, Western / Q000379:methods*; D002648:Child; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009165:Mycobacterium Infections, Nontuberculous / Q000276:immunology* / Q000382:microbiology; D019910:Mycobacterium marinum / Q000276:immunology*
D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial