Abstract
The ability of group B streptococci to attach to buccal epithelial cells from adult volunteers, healthy neonates, and infants with invasive group B streptococcal infection was assessed by using 3H-labeled bacteria incubated at a bacteria-to-cells ratio of 1,000:1. Type III group B streptococcal clinical isolates adhered significantly better to the epithelial cells of healthy neonates than to those of adults (mean bacteria per cell of 31 versus 7, respectively; P < 0.005). In contrast, no statistically significant differences in adherence of type Ia or type II strains to cells of neonates and adults were noted. The adherence of strains isolated from 15 infants with invasive group B streptococcal infection was significantly greater to the cells of infected infants than to those of age-matched controls (mean bacteria per cell of 39 versus 18, respectively; P < 0.005). In contrast, no significant difference was noted in the adherence of a usually adherent type Ia strain and a nonadherent type III strain to the cells of infected infants compared with control infants. These results indicate that the serotype of group B streptococci with the greatest virulence for neonates (type III) adheres better to neonatal than to adult epithelial cells. Infants who develop invasive infection may have an increased number of epithelial cell surface receptor sites for attachment of group B streptococci, the bacteria may elaborate products which unmask receptor sites, or both.
Full text
PDF






Selected References
These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.
- Anthony B. F., Okada D. M. The emergence of group B streptococci in infections of the newborn infant. Annu Rev Med. 1977;28:355–369. doi: 10.1146/annurev.me.28.020177.002035. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Baker C. J., Clark D. J., Barrett F. F. Selective broth medium for isolation of group B streptococci. Appl Microbiol. 1973 Dec;26(6):884–885. doi: 10.1128/am.26.6.884-885.1973. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Baker C. J., Edwards M. S., Webb B. J., Kasper D. L. Antibody-independent classical pathway-mediated opsonophagocytosis of type Ia, group B streptococcus. J Clin Invest. 1982 Feb;69(2):394–404. doi: 10.1172/JCI110463. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Beachey E. H. Bacterial adherence: adhesin-receptor interactions mediating the attachment of bacteria to mucosal surface. J Infect Dis. 1981 Mar;143(3):325–345. doi: 10.1093/infdis/143.3.325. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Beachey E. H., Ofek I. Epithelial cell binding of group A streptococci by lipoteichoic acid on fimbriae denuded of M protein. J Exp Med. 1976 Apr 1;143(4):759–771. doi: 10.1084/jem.143.4.759. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Botta G. A. Hormonal and type-dependent adhesion of group B streptococci to human vaginal cells. Infect Immun. 1979 Sep;25(3):1084–1086. doi: 10.1128/iai.25.3.1084-1086.1979. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Craven D. E., Peppler M. S., Frasch C. E., Mocca L. F., McGrath P. P., Washington G. Adherence of isolates of Neisseria meningitidis from patients and carriers to human buccal epithelial cells. J Infect Dis. 1980 Oct;142(4):556–568. doi: 10.1093/infdis/142.4.556. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- De Cueninck B. J., Shockman G. D., Swenson R. M. Group B, type III streptococcal cell wall: composition and structural aspects revealed through endo-N-acetylmuramidase-catalyzed hydrolysis. Infect Immun. 1982 Feb;35(2):572–581. doi: 10.1128/iai.35.2.572-581.1982. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Johnson A. P., Taylor-Robinson D., McGee Z. A. Species specificity of attachment and damage to oviduct mucosa by Neisseria gonorrhoeae. Infect Immun. 1977 Dec;18(3):833–839. doi: 10.1128/iai.18.3.833-839.1977. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Lerner P. I., Gopalakrishna K. V., Wolinsky E., McHenry M. C., Tan J. S., Rosenthal M. Group B streptococcus (S. agalactiae) bacteremia in adults: analysis of 32 cases and review of the literature. Medicine (Baltimore) 1977 Nov;56(6):457–473. doi: 10.1097/00005792-197711000-00001. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Ofek I., Beachey E. H., Eyal F., Morrison J. C. Postnatal development of binding of streptococci and lipoteichoic acid by oral mucosal cells of humans. J Infect Dis. 1977 Feb;135(2):267–274. doi: 10.1093/infdis/135.2.267. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Ofek I., Beachey E. H., Jefferson W., Campbell G. L. Cell membrane-binding properties of group A streptococcal lipoteichoic acid. J Exp Med. 1975 May 1;141(5):990–1003. doi: 10.1084/jem.141.5.990. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Pass M. A., Gray B. M., Khare S., Dillon H. C., Jr Prospective studies of group B streptococcal infections in infants. J Pediatr. 1979 Sep;95(3):437–443. doi: 10.1016/s0022-3476(79)80531-4. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Selinger D. S., Julie N., Reed W. P., Williams R. C., Jr Adherence of group A streptococci to pharyngeal cells: a role in the pathogenesis of rheumatic fever. Science. 1978 Aug 4;201(4354):455–457. doi: 10.1126/science.351810. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Sellwood R., Gibbons R. A., Jones G. W., Rutter J. M. Adhesion of enteropathogenic Escherichia coli to pig intestinal brush borders: the existence of two pig phenotypes. J Med Microbiol. 1975 Aug;8(3):405–411. doi: 10.1099/00222615-8-3-405. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Sugarman B., Donta S. T. Adherence of Enterobacteriaceae to human buccal cells. J Med Microbiol. 1979 Aug;12(3):373–378. doi: 10.1099/00222615-12-3-373. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Svanborg-Edén C., Jodal U. Attachment of Escherichia coli to urinary sediment epithelial cells from urinary tract infection-prone and healthy children. Infect Immun. 1979 Dec;26(3):837–840. doi: 10.1128/iai.26.3.837-840.1979. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Wilkinson H. W. Analysis of group B streptococcal types associated with disease in human infants and adults. J Clin Microbiol. 1978 Feb;7(2):176–179. doi: 10.1128/jcm.7.2.176-179.1978. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Zawaneh S. M., Ayoub E. M., Baer H., Cruz A. C., Spellacy W. N. Factors influencing adherence of group B streptococci to human vaginal epithelial cells. Infect Immun. 1979 Nov;26(2):441–447. doi: 10.1128/iai.26.2.441-447.1979. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]