title: Serological cross-reaction between O-antigens of Shigella dysenteriae type 4 and an environmental Escherichia albertii isolate.
abstract: An environmental freshwater bacterial isolate, DM104, appearing as Shigella-like colonies on selective agar plates was found to show strong and specific serological cross-reactivity with Shigella dysenteriae type 4. Biochemical identification according to the analytical profile index, molecular serotyping by restriction of the amplified O-antigen gene cluster (rfb-RFLP), together with phylogenetic analysis of the 16S rRNA gene and multi-locus sequence analysis, identified the isolate as Escherichia albertii. rfb-RFLP of DM104, revealed a profile different from that of S. dysenteriae type 4. However, western blot analysis of extracted lipopolysaccharides demonstrated strong cross-reactivity with S. dysenteriae type 4 using specific monovalent antisera and a lipopolysaccharide gel banding profile similar to that of S. dysenteriae type 4. The observed O-antigen cross-reaction between an E. albertii isolate and S. dysenteriae extends our knowledge of the extent of O-antigen cross-reaction within the Escherichia/Shigella group of organisms, and offers the possibility of using DM104 and similar cross-reacting strains as shigellosis vaccine candidates.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, University of Dhaka, Dhaka, 1000, Bangladesh.
authors.forename: Mohammed Ziaur
authors.initials: MZ
authors.lastname: Rahman
authors.forename: Selina
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Akter
authors.forename: Nafisa
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Azmuda
authors.forename: Munawar
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sultana
authors.forename: François-Xavier
authors.initials: FX
authors.lastname: Weill
authors.forename: Sirajul Islam
authors.initials: SI
authors.lastname: Khan
authors.forename: Patrick A D
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Grimont
authors.forename: Nils-Kåre
authors.initials: NK
authors.lastname: Birkeland
mesh_terms: D003429:Cross Reactions / Q000276:immunology*; D004925:Escherichia / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D005798:Genes, Bacterial; D020043:Genes, Essential; D019081:O Antigens / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D010802:Phylogeny; D012703:Serotyping; D012762:Shigella dysenteriae / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D019081:O Antigens