Open AccessAnalysis by enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay and immunoblot of the antibody responses of patients infected with Mycobacterium marinum
Author(s) -
Blackwell Verity Claire,
Hamilton Andrew John,
Hay Roderick
Publication year - 2000
Publication title -
fems immunology & medical microbiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1574-695X
pISSN - 0928-8244
DOI - 10.1111/j.1574-695x.2000.tb01429.x
Subject(s) - mycobacterium marinum , antigen , biology , antibody , microbiology and biotechnology , immunology , blot , virology , mycobacterium , bacteria , biochemistry , genetics , gene
The serum antibody responses of a total of 14 patients with active or recently cured Mycobacterium marinum infections were analysed via a combination of enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and the immunodevelopment of Western blots of M. marinum antigen. Normal human sera and sera from patients with active pulmonary tuberculosis were also analysed as controls. The detectable IgG response of M. marinum patients, as demonstrated by ELISA, was highly variable and did not differ significantly from normal controls. IgA and IgM levels were generally low in the M. marinum patients and were not significantly different from normal controls. Immunodevelopment of Western blots of M. marinum antigen with the sera of patients with M. marinum infections revealed that a number of antigens were recognised. Of particular note was an 18‐kDa species that was recognised by 11 out of 14 patients (and by none of the normal controls). The 18‐kDa antigen may be a useful serodiagnostic marker in the identification of M. marinum infections.