Skip to main content
PMC home page
Journal of Clinical Microbiology logoLink to Journal of Clinical Microbiology
. 1979 Nov;10(5):669–672. doi: 10.1128/jcm.10.5.669-672.1979

Lectins in diagnostic microbiology: use of wheat germ agglutinin for laboratory identification of Neisseria gonorrhoeae.

R L Schaefer, K F Keller, R J Doyle
PMCID: PMC273244  PMID: 94598

Abstract

A lectin slide agglutination test has been developed for the confirmatory identification of Neisseria gonorrhoeae. With wheat germ lectin as an agglutinin, 164 of 165 clinical isolates of N. gonorrhoeae gave a 3 to 4+ reaction within 6 to 8 min. Four gonococcal isolates, even though negative by the fluoresecent-antibody method, gave strong positive reactions with the wheat germ lectin. Among 23 isolates of Neisseria meningitidis tested, which included representatives of sero-groups A, B, C,D, X, Y, and Z, only one strain in group X gave a false-positive reaction. The nonpathogenic species of Neisseria, as well as Branhamella catarrhalis, all showed negative reactions with the wheat germ agglutinin. The novel method provides a simple, rapid, and inexpensive means for the laboratory diagnosis of gonorrhea and obviates the need for performing second-stage sugar fermentation studies or utilizing the more expensive fluorescent-antibody techniques.

Full text

PDF

Selected References

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

  1. Bloch R., Burger M. M. Purification of wheat germ agglutinin using affinity chromatography on chitin. Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 1974 May 7;58(1):13–19. doi: 10.1016/0006-291x(74)90884-5. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Brown W. J. A comparison of three fermentation methods for the confirmation of Neisseria gonorrhoeae. Health Lab Sci. 1976 Jan;13(1):54–58. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Brown W. J. Modification of the rapid fermentation test for Neisseria gonorrhoeae. Appl Microbiol. 1974 Jun;27(6):1027–1030. doi: 10.1128/am.27.6.1027-1030.1974. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Faur Y. C., Weisburd M. H., Wilson M. E. Carbohydrate fermentation plate medium for confirmation of Neisseria species. J Clin Microbiol. 1975 Mar;1(3):294–297. doi: 10.1128/jcm.1.3.294-297.1975. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Faur Y. C., Weisburd M. H., Wilson M. E. Isolation of Neisseria meningitidis from the Genito-urinary tract and anal canal. J Clin Microbiol. 1975 Sep;2(3):178–182. doi: 10.1128/jcm.2.3.178-182.1975. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Guillot J., Scandariato M., Coulet M. Essai d'application du pouvoir agglutinant des lectines à l'ètude du genre Candida. Ann Microbiol (Paris) 1974 Dec;125(4):489–500. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Hare M. J. Comparative assessment of microbiological methods for the diagnosis of gonorrhea in women. Br J Vener Dis. 1974 Dec;50(6):437–441. doi: 10.1136/sti.50.6.437. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Herrmann W. P., Uhlenbruck G., Rieth H. Untersuchungen über die Zellmembran von Hefen der Gattungen Candida und Toropsis mit heterophilen Agglutininen. Mykosen. 1974 Jan 1;17(1):1–7. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Hollis D. G., Wiggins G. L., Weaver R. E. Neisseria lactamicus sp. n., a lactose-fermenting species resembling Neisseria meningitidis. Appl Microbiol. 1969 Jan;17(1):71–77. doi: 10.1128/am.17.1.71-77.1969. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Kellogg D. S., Jr, Turner E. M. Rapid fermentation confirmation of Neisseria gonorrhoeae. Appl Microbiol. 1973 Apr;25(4):550–552. doi: 10.1128/am.25.4.550-552.1973. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Köhler W., Prokop O., Kühnemund O. Routine identification of group-C streptococci by means of an agglutinin (protectin) from the albumen gland of the edible snail, Helix pomatia. J Med Microbiol. 1973 Feb;6(1):127–130. doi: 10.1099/00222615-6-1-127. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Morse S. A., Bartenstein L. Adaptation of the Minitek system for the rapid identification of Neisseria gonorrhoeae. J Clin Microbiol. 1976 Jan;3(1):8–13. doi: 10.1128/jcm.3.1.8-13.1976. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Ottensooser F., Nakamizo Y., Sato M., Miyamoto Y., Takizawa K. Lectins detecting group C streptococci. Infect Immun. 1974 May;9(5):971–973. doi: 10.1128/iai.9.5.971-973.1974. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Pollock H. M. Evaluation of methods for the rapid identification of Neisseria gonorrhoeae in a routine clinical laboratory. J Clin Microbiol. 1976 Jul;4(1):19–21. doi: 10.1128/jcm.4.1.19-21.1976. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Prokop O., Köhler W. Agglutinationsreaktionen von Mikroorganismen mit Helix pomatia Eiweissdrüsen-Extrakt (Anti-Ahel-Agglutinin) Z Immunitatsforsch Allerg Klin Immunol. 1967 Jul;133(2):176–179. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. Shtibel R., Toma S. Neisseria gonorrhoeae: evaluation of some methods used for carbohydrate utilization. Can J Microbiol. 1978 Feb;24(2):177–181. doi: 10.1139/m78-030. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. Stacey P., Warner G. Identification of Neisseria gonorrhoea and Neisseria meningitidis by a carbohydrate disc technique. J Clin Pathol. 1973 Apr;26(4):303–304. doi: 10.1136/jcp.26.4.303. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. Sumner J. B., Howell S. F. Identification of Hemagglutinin of Jack Bean with Concanavalin A. J Bacteriol. 1936 Aug;32(2):227–237. doi: 10.1128/jb.32.2.227-237.1936. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  19. Thayer J. D., Martin J. E., Jr Improved medium selective for cultivation of N. gonorrhoeae and N. meningitidis. Public Health Rep. 1966 Jun;81(6):559–562. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  20. Yong D. C., Prytula A. Rapid micro-carbohydrate test for confirmation of Neisseria gonorrhoeae. J Clin Microbiol. 1978 Dec;8(6):643–647. doi: 10.1128/jcm.8.6.643-647.1978. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  21. Young H., Paterson I. C., McDonald D. R. Rapid carbohydrate utilization test for the identification of Neisseria gonorrhoeae. Br J Vener Dis. 1976 Jun;52(3):172–175. doi: 10.1136/sti.52.3.172. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

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

RESOURCES