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Abstract
Forty strains of Aeromonas hydrophilaand Aeromonas veroniirecovered from invasive and non-invasive infections were tested for their susceptibility to complement-mediated lysis by 65% pooled human serum (PHS). Based upon the results of this assay, two major populations could be defined. The first group (n= 20) consisted of serogroup 0:11 strains, all of which possessed a paracrystalline surface layer (S layer); all of these strains were refractory to the bactericidal activity of 65% PHS with the exception of A. hydrophilastrain AH-121, which was composed of mixed subpopulations of serum-susceptible and serum-resistant clones. A second collection of isolates (n= 20), all of which were S-layer-negative, contained a subgroup of strains (n= 7) that were highly susceptible to complement-mediated lysis, showing a greater than 100-fold reduction of viable progeny within 30 min of exposure to 65% PHS. Serum-resistant strains from both groups could not be lysed by exposure of bacterial cells to polyclonal somatic or whole cell antisera or to 30 μg ml-1of polymyxin B nonapeptide prior to challenge with 65% PHS. Analysis of selected serum-resistant and serum-susceptible strains from both groups showed that all isolates activated the complement pathway and most bound C3b to the cell surface, indicating that the inability of complement to lyse serum-resistant strains was related to a defect in the terminal portions of the complement pathway. The major differences noticed between serum-resistant and serum-susceptible strains were a lack of a definable lipopolysaccharide side chain profile and higher 50% lethal dose values in strains that were susceptible to complement-mediated lysis.
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