UNLABELLED: The objective of this study was to examine the antibody responsiveness to the bundle-forming pilus subunit A of enteropathogenic Escherichia coli in human colostrum (n = 36) and serum (n = 90) of paediatric ambulatory patients, 3-24 months of age. Affinity purified recombinant bundle-forming pilus subunit A was used in immunoblot analysis to detect antigen-specific serum immunoglobulins G and A, and colostrum immunoglobulin A. Circulating immunoglobulin G antibody activity to the bundle-forming pilus subunit A was readily detected in all children. The frequency of immunoglobulin A antibody activity to the bundle-forming pilus subunit A in serum was 83.3%. Immunoglobulin A antibody activity to the bundle-forming pilus subunit A was detected in 75% of colostrum samples. The high frequency of immunoglobulin A antibody activity to the bundle-forming pilus subunit A observed in serum reveals a predominance of typical enteropathogenic Escherichia coli priming/infection in the study population. CONCLUSION: these findings demonstrate that the bundle-forming pilus subunit A is immunogenic, for both immunoglobulins G and A, in both pregnant/lactating women and asymptomatic children.
UNLABELLED: The objective of this study was to examine the antibody responsiveness to the bundle-forming pilus subunit A of enteropathogenic Escherichia coli in human colostrum (n = 36) and serum (n = 90) of paediatric ambulatory patients, 3-24 months of age. Affinity purified recombinant bundle-forming pilus subunit A was used in immunoblot analysis to detect antigen-specific serum immunoglobulins G and A, and colostrum immunoglobulin A. Circulating immunoglobulin G antibody activity to the bundle-forming pilus subunit A was readily detected in all children. The frequency of immunoglobulin A antibody activity to the bundle-forming pilus subunit A in serum was 83.3%. Immunoglobulin A antibody activity to the bundle-forming pilus subunit A was detected in 75% of colostrum samples. The high frequency of immunoglobulin A antibody activity to the bundle-forming pilus subunit A observed in serum reveals a predominance of typical enteropathogenic Escherichia coli priming/infection in the study population. CONCLUSION: these findings demonstrate that the bundle-forming pilus subunit A is immunogenic, for both immunoglobulins G and A, in both pregnant/lactating women and asymptomatic children.