title: Seroprevalence of the enteroaggregative Escherichia coli virulence factor dispersin among USA travellers to Cuernavaca, Mexico: a pilot study.
abstract: This pilot study examined the change in the seroprevalence of the enteroaggregative Escherichia coli (EAEC) virulence factor dispersin in USA students during a short stay in Cuernavaca, Mexico, between June and August 2004. One hundred and ninety-five students provided paired serum samples - one on arrival to Mexico (pre-serum) and a second on departure from Mexico (post-serum) after a mean stay of 19 days. Serum samples were tested for IgG antibody to a recombinant purified dispersin protein by ELISA. For all travellers, with and without diarrhoea, the mean+/-sd pre-serum absorbance value (read at 450 and 570 nm) was 0.340+/-0.212 and the mean post-serum value was 0.513+/-0.316 (P<0.00001). Both travellers who developed diarrhoea and those who did not develop diarrhoea had an increase in IgG antibody to dispersin from the time of arrival to the time of departure from Cuernavaca (diarrhoea group 0.323+/-0.197 to 0.501+/-0.311, P<0.00001, and the asymptomatic group 0.354+/-0.224 to 0.525+/-0.321, P<0.00001). The pre-serum absorbance value (read at 450 and 570 nm) for IgG antibody to dispersin was not associated with protection against the development of diarrhoeal illness. These results indicate that USA travellers to Mexico show seroconversion for the EAEC virulence factor dispersin. Further studies are needed to characterize in more detail the host clinical and immunological responses to the dispersin protein.
authors: Department of Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, 1 Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX 77030, USA.
authors: David B
authors: DB
authors: Huang
authors: University of Texas at Houston School of Public Health, 1200 Herman Pressler, Houston, TX 77030, USA.
authors: Eric L
authors: EL
authors: Brown
authors: St Luke's Episcopal Hospital, 6720 Bertner Avenue, Houston, TX 77030, USA.|Department of Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, 1 Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX 77030, USA.
authors: Herbert L
authors: HL
authors: DuPont
authors: Department of Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, 1 Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX 77030, USA.
authors: Jing
authors: J
authors: Cerf
authors: University of Texas at Houston Medical School, 6431 Fannin, Houston, TX 77030, USA.
authors: Lily
authors: L
authors: Carlin
authors: University of Texas at Houston Medical School, 6431 Fannin, Houston, TX 77030, USA.
authors: Jose
authors: J
authors: Flores
authors: University of Texas at Houston Medical School, 6431 Fannin, Houston, TX 77030, USA.
authors: Jaime
authors: J
authors: Belkind-Gerson
authors: Center for Vaccine Development, University of Maryland School of Medicine, 655 W. Baltimore Street, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA.
authors: James P
authors: JP
authors: Nataro
authors: University of Texas at Houston Medical School, 6431 Fannin, Houston, TX 77030, USA.|Department of Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, 1 Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX 77030, USA.
authors: Pablo C
authors: PC
authors: Okhuysen
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood*; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000276:immunology* / Q000472:pathogenicity; D004927:Escherichia coli Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology; D029968:Escherichia coli Proteins / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D008800:Mexico / Q000453:epidemiology; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D010865:Pilot Projects; D014195:Travel; D014481:United States; D014774:Virulence; D037521:Virulence Factors / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: C479827:AAP protein, E coli; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D029968:Escherichia coli Proteins; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D037521:Virulence Factors