Skip to main content
The Journal of Clinical Investigation logoLink to The Journal of Clinical Investigation
. 1980 Apr;65(4):885–891. doi: 10.1172/JCI109741

Phenotypic and Genetic Variation in the Susceptibility of Haemophilus influenzae Type b to Antibodies to Somatic Antigens

Porter Anderson 1, Alan Flesher 1, Stephen Shaw 1, A Lynn Harding 1, David H Smith 1
PMCID: PMC434476  PMID: 6153662

Abstract

Haemophilus influenzae type b (H.i.b) has been investigated with respect to phenotypic and genetic variations resulting in differential susceptibility to bactericidal antibody. Previous studies had shown that after growth in infected rats or in dialysate of rat serum, H.i.b strain Eag became more resistant to the bactericidal activity of antisomatic antibody. We now report that a similar phenotypic shift occurs when strain Eag is incubated with dialysate of human serum, that the increased resistance is to antibodies against determinants in the lipopolysaccharide not for the somatic antigens generally, and that most strains of H.i.b undergo the shift.

To assess genetic differences in exposed antigens, a panel of 13 H.i.b isolates from cerebrospinal fluid were analyzed with cross-adsorbed antisera. Seven different patterns were found that could be accounted for through the variable expression of six antigens. These ranged from infrequent (found on 1:13 strains) to common (10:13 strains). At least four were somatic rather than capsular determinants; the most common (antigen 1) was contained in lipopolysaccharide.

The epidemiologic relevance of the genetic variations was explored using pairs of isolates from two children who had had two documented infections with H.i.b. In both cases the isolates varied in somatic antigen expression. The strains from one patient differed in the expression of antigen 1. The isolates from the other were indistinguishable in sub-typing for the six classified antigens, but differed in the expression of an additional antigen identified by use of the patient's serum.

Full text

PDF
885

Selected References

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

  1. Anderson P., Johnston R. B., Jr, Smith D. H. Human serum activities against Hemophilus influenzae, type b. J Clin Invest. 1972 Jan;51(1):31–38. doi: 10.1172/JCI106793. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Branefors-Helander P. Serological studies of Haemophilus influenzae. 3. The endotoxic effect of various antigen preparations and the relation between this effect and demonstrable precipitinogens. Int Arch Allergy Appl Immunol. 1973;44(5):585–600. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Branefors-Helander P. Serological studies of Haemophilus influenzae. IV. The antibody response in rabbits against capsular and O antigens of H. influenzae. Int Arch Allergy Appl Immunol. 1973;45(5):657–674. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Feigin R. D., Richmond D., Hosler D. W., Shackelford P. G. Reassessment of the role of bactericidal antibody in Hemophilus influenzae infection. Am J Med Sci. 1971 Dec;262(6):338–346. doi: 10.1097/00000441-197112000-00005. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Flesher A. R., Insel R. A. Characterization of lipopolysaccharide of Haemophilus influenzae. J Infect Dis. 1978 Dec;138(6):719–730. doi: 10.1093/infdis/138.6.719. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Gold R., Wyle F. A. New Classification of Neisseria meningitidis by Means of Bactericidal Reactions. Infect Immun. 1970 May;1(5):479–484. doi: 10.1128/iai.1.5.479-484.1970. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Granoff D. M., Rockwell R. Experimental Haemophilus influenzae type b meningitis: immunological investigation of the infant rat model. Infect Immun. 1978 Jun;20(3):705–713. doi: 10.1128/iai.20.3.705-713.1978. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Kilian M. A taxonomic study of the genus Haemophilus, with the proposal of a new species. J Gen Microbiol. 1976 Mar;93(1):9–62. doi: 10.1099/00221287-93-1-9. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Mpairwe Y. Immunity to Haemophilus influenzae type B: the role of the capsular antibody. J Med Microbiol. 1971 Feb;4(1):85–88. doi: 10.1099/00222615-4-1-85. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Myerowitz R. L., Norden C. W. Immunology of the infant rat experimental model of Haemophilus influenzae type b meningitis. Infect Immun. 1977 Apr;16(1):218–225. doi: 10.1128/iai.16.1.218-225.1977. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Mäkelä P. H., Peltola H., Käyhty H., Jousimies H., Pettay O., Ruoslahti E., Sivonen A., Renkonen O. V. Polysaccharide vaccines of group A Neisseria meningtitidis and Haemophilus influenzae type b: a field trial in Finland. J Infect Dis. 1977 Aug;136 (Suppl):S43–S50. doi: 10.1093/infdis/136.supplement.s43. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Norden C. W., Feldman H. A. Hemophilus influenzae, type b, antibody frequencies determined with bactericidal and radioimmunoassay tests. J Clin Microbiol. 1976 Aug;2(2):136–138. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Norden C. W. Variable susceptibility of Hemophilus influenzae, type B strains to serum bactericidal activity. Proc Soc Exp Biol Med. 1972 Jan;139(1):59–61. doi: 10.3181/00379727-139-36076. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Shaw S., Smith A. L., Anderson P., Smith D. H. The paradox of Hemophilus infuenzae type B bacteremia in the presence of serum bactericidal activity. J Clin Invest. 1976 Oct;58(4):1019–1029. doi: 10.1172/JCI108525. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Smith D. H., Peter G., Ingram D. L., Harding A. L., Anderson P. Responses of children immunized with the capsular polysaccharide of Hemophilus influenzae, type b. Pediatrics. 1973 Nov;52(5):637–644. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. Weller P. F., Smith A. L., Smith D. H., Anderson P. Role of immunity in the clearance of bacteremia due to Haemophilus influenzae. J Infect Dis. 1978 Oct;138(4):427–436. doi: 10.1093/infdis/138.4.427. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. Zoon K. C., Scocca J. J. Constitution of the cell envelope of Haemophilus influenzae in relation to competence for genetic transformation. J Bacteriol. 1975 Aug;123(2):666–677. doi: 10.1128/jb.123.2.666-677.1975. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Journal of Clinical Investigation are provided here courtesy of American Society for Clinical Investigation

RESOURCES