Fluorescent antibody staining and agglutination reactions in Bordetella pertussis cultures.

Eldering, Grace (Michigan Department of Health, Grand Rapids), Warren C. Eveland, and Pearl L. Kendrick. Fluorescent antibody staining and agglutination reactions in Bordetella pertussis cultures. J. Bacteriol. 83:745-749. 1962-Bordetella pertussis antisera produced with smooth cultures gave positive results in agglutination and fluorescent antibody (FA) tests with smooth B. pertussis cultures. Similar results were obtained with antisera produced with the related species B. parapertussis and B. bronchiseptica when each was tested with the respective homologous antigen. Cross reactions occurred with some of the antisera and heterologous antigens but a positive agglutination test was not always correlated with a positive FA reaction, and the reverse was also observed. Adsorbed B. pertussis antisera specific for factors 2, 3, 4, and 5 agglutinated appropriate B. pertussis cultures, but gave negative FA reactions. Factor 1 antiserum prepared by adsorption with heated (100 C) antigen gave positive results in both FA and agglutination tests. Rough B. pertussis cultures were inagglutinable, but were FA positive when tested with unadsorbed antiserum produced with either smooth or rough cultures. Rough cultures were FA negative with factor 1 serum. The results suggest that for B. pertussis different serum components may be responsible for agglutination and FA staining. The implications with respect to the protection-inducing antigen are discussed.