title: Diagnosis of vascular graft infections with antibodies against staphylococcal slime antigens.
abstract: Late-onset infections of synthetic vascular grafts (LO-SVGIs) are generally caused by staphylococci that produce a slime polysaccharide and grow as a biofilm on the graft surface. We developed an ELISA to detect serum antibodies against staphylococcal slime polysaccharide antigens (SSPA). Patients with an ongoing staphylococcal LO-SVGI had greater titres of IgM antibodies against SSPA than did patients in other groups. Antibody titres of 0.40 ELISA units (EU) or more, or 0.35 EU or more detected 97% and 100% of staphylococcal LO-SVGIs, respectively, 0% and 2% titre/unit false-positive results. Our findings suggest that such an ELISA represents a sensitive, specific, and non-invasive diagnostic test for staphylococcal LO-SVGIs.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze di Sanità Pubblica, Università di Roma La Sapienza, Roma, Italy.
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Selan
authors.forename: Claudio
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Passariello
authors.forename: Luigi
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Rizzo
authors.forename: Paola
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Varesi
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Speziale
authors.forename: Giulio
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Renzini
authors.forename: Maria Cristina
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Thaller
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Fiorani
authors.forename: Gian Maria
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Rossolini
mesh_terms: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood*; D001807:Blood Vessel Prosthesis / Q000382:microbiology*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / Q000379:methods*; D006085:Graft Survival / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000276:immunology; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000276:immunology; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology*; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007075:Immunoglobulin M