title: Differentiation between non-virulent and virulent Burkholderia pseudomallei with monoclonal antibodies to the Ara+ or Ara- biotypes.
abstract: Burkholderia pseudomallei is the causative agent of melioidosis, a fatal tropical infectious disease endemic in Southeast Asia. Environmental isolates of B. pseudomallei have two distinctive biotypes. Some soil isolates are arabinose-assimilators (Ara+ biotype) and are non-virulent in experimental animals. The others cannot assimilate arabinose (Ara- biotype) and are virulent in experimental animals. The Ara- biotype is found in almost all B. pseudomallei clinical isolates. In the present study, a panel of eight monoclonal antibodies that agglutinate the bacteria were produced and tested. The first group, Bps-D2, -D3, -D5, -L1, and -L2 agglutinated 100% of Ara+ clinical and soil isolates of B. pseudomallei. Another group Bps-A1, -A2, and -D1 agglutinated 92.9% and 90.9% of Ara- clinical and soil isolates, respectively. This panel of monoclonal antibodies may be useful for rapid differentiation between non-virulent Ara+ and virulent Ara- B. pseudomallei.
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Thepthai
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Dharakul
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Smithikarn
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Trakulsomboon
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Songsivilai
mesh_terms: D000372:Agglutination Tests; D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis*; D001089:Arabinose / Q000378:metabolism*; D015153:Blotting, Western; D019121:Burkholderia Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000382:microbiology; D016957:Burkholderia pseudomallei / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; D006801:Humans; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / Q000737:chemistry; D012988:Soil Microbiology; D013785:Thailand
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S; D001089:Arabinose