Haemophilus influenzae type b isolates show antigenic variation in a major outer membrane protein.

Antigenic variation of the outer membrane proteins among isolates of Haemophilus influenzae was examined by immunoblotting. Rabbit antisera were raised against six strains of H. influenzae type b and tested against outer membrane preparations of 50 isolates. The principal outer membrane band was not reactive on immunoblotting, so its antigenic heterogeneity could not be examined. Most of the other outer membrane proteins shared common determinants among all strains tested. Absorption of serum with heterologous bacteria removed antibody to nearly all proteins, confirming the extensive cross-reactivity among isolates. The greatest antigenic variation was seen in one major outer membrane band, a heat-modifiable, Zwittergent-soluble protein with a molecular weight of 49,000 to 51,000. One antiserum reacted with the 49,000-to-51,000-molecular-weight protein of the homologous isolate only; the remaining five antisera showed differing patterns of reactivity with heterologous 49,000-to-51,000-molecular-weight proteins. We were able to divide the 50 H. influenzae isolates into 13 antigenic groups based on their reaction patterns. The antigenic groupings may provide an epidemiological tool for studying the prevalence and transmission of strains of H. influenzae type b.