Skip to main content
NCBI home page
Journal of Clinical Microbiology logoLink to Journal of Clinical Microbiology
. 1985 May;21(5):745–748. doi: 10.1128/jcm.21.5.745-748.1985

Cross-reactions between alpha-streptococci and Omniserum, a polyvalent pneumococcal serum, demonstrated by direct immunofluorescence, immunoelectroosmophoresis, and latex agglutination.

H Holmberg, D Danielsson, J Hardie, A Krook, R Whiley
PMCID: PMC271772  PMID: 3889046

Abstract

In recent years several groups have used serological methods to demonstrate pneumococcal capsular antigens in sputum. In the present study 123 strains of alpha-hemolytic streptococci (including 97 strains from sputum or pharyngeal specimens) were tested for cross-reactions with a polyvalent antipneumococcal serum (Omniserum). Representatives of the following species were included: Streptococcus bovis, S. equinus, S. intermedius, S. lactis, S. milleri, S. mitis, S. mutans, S. sobrinus, S. salivarius, S. sanguis, S. suis, and Aerococcus viridans. Serological reactions were detected by direct immunofluorescence, immunoelectroosmophoresis, and latex agglutination. Fifteen (12%) of the strains gave positive reactions by all three methods. Positive reactions were also observed with another 32 strains (26%) with two of the methods, whereas 37 strains (30%) gave positive reactions by just one technique. Altogether 84 (68%) strains gave positive reactions with one or more of the methods. Latex agglutination gave positive reactions with 26 (21%) strains compared with 57 (46%) in immunofluorescence and 63 (51%) in immunoelectroosmophoresis. Absorption of the antiserum with one alpha-hemolytic strain reduced but did not entirely eliminate the cross-reactions with five tested strains. These findings indicate a potential risk of cross-reactions with polyvalent antipneumococcal serum in tests carried out on sputa or other specimens which may be contaminated with alpha-hemolytic streptococci.

Full text

PDF
745

Selected References

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

  1. Browne K., Miegel J., Stottmeier K. D. Detection of pneumococci in blood cultures by latex agglutination. J Clin Microbiol. 1984 May;19(5):649–650. doi: 10.1128/jcm.19.5.649-650.1984. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Coonrod J. D., Rytel M. W. Detection of type-specific pneumococcal antigens by counterimmunoelectrophoresis. II. Etiologic diagnosis of pneumococcal pneumonia. J Lab Clin Med. 1973 May;81(5):778–786. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Danielsson D., Forsum U. Diagnosis of Neisseria infections by defined immunofluorescence. Methodologic aspects and applications. Ann N Y Acad Sci. 1975 Jun 30;254:334–349. doi: 10.1111/j.1749-6632.1975.tb29185.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Edwards E. A., Coonrod J. D. Coagglutination and counterimmunoelectrophoresis for detection of pneumococcal antigens in the sputum of pneumonia patients. J Clin Microbiol. 1980 May;11(5):488–491. doi: 10.1128/jcm.11.5.488-491.1980. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Forsum U. Characterization of FITC-labelled F(ab')2 fragments of IgG and a rapid technique for the separation of optimally labelled fragments. J Immunol Methods. 1973 Jan;2(2):183–195. doi: 10.1016/0022-1759(73)90015-x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Hardie J. M., Bowden G. H. Physiological classification of oral viridans streptococci. J Dent Res. 1976 Jan;55:A166–A176. doi: 10.1177/002203457605500108011. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Henrichsen J., Berntsson E., Kaijser B. Comparison of counterimmunoelectrophoresis and the capsular reaction test for typing of pneumococci. J Clin Microbiol. 1980 Jun;11(6):589–592. doi: 10.1128/jcm.11.6.589-592.1980. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Kalin M., Lindberg A. A., Olausson E. H. Diagnosis of pneumococcal pneumonia by coagglutination and counterimmunoelectrophoresis of sputum samples. Eur J Clin Microbiol. 1982 Apr;1(2):91–96. doi: 10.1007/BF02014198. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. LUND E. Antigenic relationship between pneumococci and non-hemolytic streptococci. Acta Pathol Microbiol Scand. 1950;27(1):110–118. doi: 10.1111/j.1699-0463.1950.tb05200.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Leach R. P., Coonrod J. D. Detection of penumococcal antigens in the sputum in pneumococcal pneumonia. Am Rev Respir Dis. 1977 Nov;116(5):847–851. doi: 10.1164/arrd.1977.116.5.847. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Perlino C. A., Shulman J. A. Detection of pneumococcal polysaccharide in the sputum of patients with pneumococcal pneumonia by counterimmunoelectrophoresis. J Lab Clin Med. 1976 Mar;87(3):496–502. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Smith S. K., Washington J. A., 2nd Evaluation of the Pneumoslide latex agglutination test for identification of Streptococcus pneumoniae. J Clin Microbiol. 1984 Sep;20(3):592–593. doi: 10.1128/jcm.20.3.592-593.1984. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Sottile M. I., Rytel M. W. Application of counterimmunoelectrophoresis in the identification of Streptococcus pneumoniae in clinical isolates. J Clin Microbiol. 1975 Sep;2(3):173–177. doi: 10.1128/jcm.2.3.173-177.1975. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Spencer R. C., Savage M. A. Use of Counter and rocket immunoelectrophoresis in acute respiratory infections due to Streptococcus pneumoniae. J Clin Pathol. 1976 Mar;29(3):187–190. doi: 10.1136/jcp.29.3.187. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Trollfors B., Berntsson E., Elgefors B., Kaijser B. Counterimmunoelectrophoresis of sputum and blood for the diagnosis of chest infections caused by pneumococci or Haemophilus influenzae. Scand J Infect Dis. 1979;11(1):31–34. doi: 10.3109/inf.1979.11.issue-1.04. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. Tugwell P., Greenwood B. M. Pneumococcal antigen in lobar pneumonia. J Clin Pathol. 1975 Feb;28(2):118–123. doi: 10.1136/jcp.28.2.118. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. Wicher K., Kalinka C., Mlodozeniec P., Rose N. R. Fluorescent antibody technic used for identification and typing of Streptococcus pneumoniae. Am J Clin Pathol. 1982 Jan;77(1):72–77. doi: 10.1093/ajcp/77.1.72. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. Yurchak A. M., Austrian R. Serologic and genetic relationships between pneumococci and other respiratory streptococci. Trans Assoc Am Physicians. 1966;79:368–375. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

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

RESOURCES