Western blot analysis of staphylococcal antibodies present in human sera during health and disease.

IgG antibodies directed against Staphylococcus aureus were examined by Western blotting in sera from 15 healthy individuals isolated for a year in Antarctica. Sera reacted with many staphylococcal antigens in whole-cell extracts and individuals showed unique and unchanging blot profiles. The IgG and IgM profiles of patients with deep-seated staphylococcal infections were also examined by Western blotting. Anti-staphylococcal IgM antibodies that reacted with an antigen of apparent molecular mass 31 X 10(3) were present in all patients with staphylococcal disease, and were absent from, or detected in much smaller amounts in, control sera.