Abstract
The immune response of 9 infants with Haemophilus influenzae type b meningitis was examined by using a radioimmunoprecipitation procedure designed to detect antibodies directed against cell surface-exposed outer membrane proteins of this pathogen. Using intrinsically or extrinsically radiolabeled intact H. influenzae type b cells with acute- and convalescent-phase human sera in this radioimmunoprecipitation system, we found that all of the infants produced an antibody response directed against several different H. influenzae type b outer membrane proteins. Anti-H. influenzae type b outer membrane protein antibodies present in convalescent sera, but not found in acute sera, were directed against cell surface-exposed H. influenzae type b outer membrane proteins. In contrast, both acute and convalescent sera contained antibody activity directed against numerous H. influenzae type b outer membrane proteins whose antigenic determinants were apparently inaccessible to antibody on intact H. influenzae type b cells. The ability of infants to develop an antibody response to cell surface-exposed, antibody-accessible H. influenzae type b outer membrane proteins indicates that these proteins may have vaccinogenic potential.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 82-88 |
Number of pages | 7 |
Journal | Unknown Journal |
Volume | 37 |
Issue number | 1 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - 1982 |
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Parasitology
- Microbiology
- Immunology
- Infectious Diseases