Skip to main content
NCBI home page
Journal of Clinical Microbiology logoLink to Journal of Clinical Microbiology
. 1985 Aug;22(2):152–156. doi: 10.1128/jcm.22.2.152-156.1985

Risk of group A meningococcal disease: bacterial interference and cross-reactive bacteria among mucosal flora.

G A Filice, P S Hayes, G W Counts, J M Griffiss, D W Fraser
PMCID: PMC268349  PMID: 3928679

Abstract

During outbreaks of group A meningococcal disease in Seattle, Wash., and Portland, Oreg., we studied the mucosal flora of the affected population and comparison groups to identify possible determinants of susceptibility and resistance to disease. Antimeningococcal immunoglobulin A can block the bactericidal activity of specific antibodies of other classes and has been associated with susceptibility in adults. We used immunoprecipitation and fluorescent-antibody techniques to detect mucosal microorganisms cross-reactive with group A meningococci that might have stimulated such antibodies. Cross-reactive strains of Bacillus pumilus and Streptococcus faecalis were found. Bacterial interference on mucosal surfaces has been shown to reduce susceptibility to other pathogens. With an agar overlay technique, we sought nasopharyngeal microorganisms that inhibited the growth of group A meningococci. Forty-five percent of subjects carried inhibitory strains representing at least nine different species. Inhibitory strains were less common (32%) in residents from "skid row" areas (see D.J. Bogue, Skid Row in American Cities, University of Chicago Press, for a comprehensive definition of these areas) than in a comparison group that did not experience meningococcal disease (61%), suggesting that their presence may be associated with resistance to acquisition of meningococci or to meningococcal disease.

Full text

PDF
152

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Alexander G. J., Nouri-Aria K. T., Eddleston A. L., Williams R. Contrasting relations between suppressor-cell function and suppressor-cell number in chronic liver disease. Lancet. 1983 Jun 11;1(8337):1291–1293. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(83)92410-8. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Astry C. L., Warr G. A., Jakab G. J. Impairment of polymorphonuclear leukocyte immigration as a mechanism of alcohol-induced suppression of pulmonary antibacterial defenses. Am Rev Respir Dis. 1983 Jul;128(1):113–117. doi: 10.1164/arrd.1983.128.1.113. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Atkinson J. P., Sullivan T. J., Kelly J. P., Parker C. W. Stimulation by alcohols of cyclic AMP metabolism in human leukocytes. Possible role of cyclic AMP in the anti-inflammatory effects of ethanol. J Clin Invest. 1977 Aug;60(2):284–294. doi: 10.1172/JCI108776. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Bradshaw M. W., Schneerson R., Parke J. C., Jr, Robbins J. B. Bacterial antigens cross-reactive with the capsular polysaccharide of Haemophilus influenzae type b. Lancet. 1971 May 29;1(7709):1095–1096. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(71)91837-x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Braude A. I., Siemienski J. S. The influence of bacteriocins on resistance to infection by gram-negative bacteria. II. Colicin action, transfer of colicinogeny, and transfer of antibiotic resistance in urinary infections. J Clin Invest. 1968 Aug;47(8):1763–1773. doi: 10.1172/JCI105866. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Counts G. W., Gregory D. F., Spearman J. G., Lee B. A., Filice G. A., Holmes K. K., Griffiss J. M. Group A meningococcal disease in the U.S. Pacific Northwest: epidemiology, clinical features, and effect of a vaccination control program. Rev Infect Dis. 1984 Sep-Oct;6(5):640–648. doi: 10.1093/clinids/6.5.640. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Crowe C. C., Sanders W. E., Jr, Longley S. Bacterial interference. II. Role of the normal throat flora in prevention of colonization by group A Streptococcus. J Infect Dis. 1973 Oct;128(4):527–532. doi: 10.1093/infdis/128.4.527. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Fierer J., Finley F. Deficient serum bactericidal activity against Escherichia coli in patients with cirrhosis of the liver. J Clin Invest. 1979 May;63(5):912–921. doi: 10.1172/JCI109391. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Filice G. A., Englender S. J., Jacobson J. A., Jourden J. L., Burns D. A., Gregory D., Counts G. W., Griffiss J. M., Fraser D. W. Group A meningococcal disease in skid rows: epidemiology and implications for control. Am J Public Health. 1984 Mar;74(3):253–254. doi: 10.2105/ajph.74.3.253. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Goldschneider I., Gotschlich E. C., Artenstein M. S. Human immunity to the meningococcus. I. The role of humoral antibodies. J Exp Med. 1969 Jun 1;129(6):1307–1326. doi: 10.1084/jem.129.6.1307. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Griffiss J. M., Bertram M. A. Immunoepidemiology of meningococcal disease in military recruits. II. Blocking of serum bactericidal activity by circulating IgA early in the course of invasive disease. J Infect Dis. 1977 Dec;136(6):733–739. doi: 10.1093/infdis/136.6.733. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Griffiss J. M. Epidemic meningococcal disease: synthesis of a hypothetical immunoepidemiologic model. Rev Infect Dis. 1982 Jan-Feb;4(1):159–172. doi: 10.1093/clinids/4.1.159. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Käyhty H., Jousimies-Somer H., Peltola H., Mäketä P. H. Antibody response to capsular polysaccharides of groups A and C neisseria meningitidis and Haemophilus influenzae type b during bacteremic disease. J Infect Dis. 1981 Jan;143(1):32–41. doi: 10.1093/infdis/143.1.32. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Myerowitz R. L., Gordon R. E., Robbins J. B. Polysaccharides of the genus Bacillus cross-reactive with the capsular polysaccharides of Diplococcus pneumoniae type 3, Haemophilus influenzae type b, and Neisseria meningitidis group A. Infect Immun. 1973 Dec;8(6):896–900. doi: 10.1128/iai.8.6.896-900.1973. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. O'Keefe S. J., El-Zayadi A. R., Carraher T. E., Davis M., Williams R. Malnutrition and immuno-incompetence in patients with liver disease. Lancet. 1980 Sep 20;2(8195 Pt 1):615–617. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(80)90284-6. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. SHINEFIELD H. R., RIBBLE J. C., BORIS M., EICHENWALD H. F. Bacterial interference: its effect on nursery-acquired infection with Staphylococcus aureus. I. Preliminary observations on artificial colonzation of newborns. Am J Dis Child. 1963 Jun;105:646–654. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. Sanders E. Bacterial interference. I. Its occurrence among the respiratory tract flora and characterization of inhibition of group A streptococci by viridans streptococci. J Infect Dis. 1969 Dec;120(6):698–707. doi: 10.1093/infdis/120.6.698. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. Van Epps D. E., Strickland R. G., Williams R. C., Jr Inhibitors of leukocyte chemotaxis in alcoholic liver disease. Am J Med. 1975 Aug;59(2):200–207. doi: 10.1016/0002-9343(75)90354-x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  19. Vann W. F., Liu T. Y., Robbins J. B. Bacillus pumilus polysaccharide cross-reactive with meningococcal group A polysaccharide. Infect Immun. 1976 Jun;13(6):1654–1662. doi: 10.1128/iai.13.6.1654-1662.1976. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  20. Wilson I. D., Onstad G., Williams R. C., Jr Serum immunoglobulin concentrations in patients with alcoholic liver disease. Gastroenterology. 1969 Jul;57(1):59–67. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Journal of Clinical Microbiology are provided here courtesy of American Society for Microbiology (ASM)

RESOURCES