Determination of the reactivities and cross-reactivities of monoclonal antibodies against staphylococcal enterotoxin A by indirect ELISA and immunoblot including a semiautomated electrophoresis system.

Eight murine monoclonal antibodies (Mabs) to staphylococcal enterotoxin A (SEA) were produced using standard hybridoma techniques. We studied reactivities and cross-reactivities by indirect ELISA and immunoblotting. Two of these Mabs (A5 and A7) reacted with five serovars (A-E) of SE in both systems. Only Mab A1 reacted specifically with the homologous toxin, while four Mabs reacted with SEA and SEE. Mabs A5 and A7 could be used to detect all five serovars of SEs in a single assay.