title: Antibodies among healthy population of developing countries against enterohaemorrhagic Escherichia coli O157:H7.
abstract: In Thailand, no reports are available on Escherichia coli serotype O157:H7, a causative agent of severe bloody diarrhoea, sometimes associated with haemolytic-uraemic syndrome and thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura. The reason for the non-identification of infection due to E. coli O157 in this country and in other developing countries has not been rigorously discussed. The aim of this study was to determine the humoral response against the infectious organism. The IgM and IgG antibody responses against E. coli O157 lipopolysaccharide were studied using indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Three hundred and thirty-two serum samples obtained from healthy blood donors and patients with diseases unrelated to diarrhoea were investigated. With a cut-off value of mean +2 SDs for each age-group, the frequency of the IgM and IgG responses to O157 lipopolysaccharide was 11.74% (39 of 332 samples) and 22.59% (75 of 332 samples) respectively. Furthermore, agglutination test of 173 subjects revealed titres ranging from 10 to 40 in all the samples. The results suggest possible exposure of the Thai population to cross-reacting antigens from other intestinal organisms in addition to infection due to E. coli O157:H7.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Science, Prince of Songkla University, Hatyai, Songkla 90112, Thailand. supayang.v@psu.ac.th
authors.forename: Supayang Piyawan
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Voravuthikunchai
authors.forename: Chitamas
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Chaowana
authors.forename: Prarin
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Perepat
authors.forename: Tetsuya
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Iida
authors.forename: Takeshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Honda
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000372:Agglutination Tests / Q000379:methods; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003906:Developing Countries; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / Q000379:methods; D019453:Escherichia coli O157 / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000276:immunology; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000276:immunology; D007223:Infant; D007564:Japan; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000276:immunology; D008875:Middle Aged; D012016:Reference Values; D013785:Thailand
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007075:Immunoglobulin M; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides