Characterization of antibody inhibiting adherence of Bordetella pertussis to human respiratory epithelial cells.

We have recently established the topographic specificity of the adherence of Bordetella pertussis to human ciliated respiratory epithelial cells. For this study, we employed the same quantitative, immunofluorescent adherence assay to test the possibility that sera of patients recovering from naturally acquired whooping cough or immunized with pertussis vaccine may contain activity capable of interfering with this specific adherence. Evaluation of paired sera from six children with culture-proven pertussis demonstrated that antiadherence activity appeared in serum during convalescence from disease. Nine children immunized with diptheria-pertussin-tetanus vaccine also showed activity against adherence, although it was significantly less than in those with clinical disease. Naturally acquired serum antiadherence activity was identified in both immunoglobulin G (IgG) and IgA antibody classes, whereas, as expected, only IgG antibody was present in children receiving the parenteral vaccine. The findings suggest that natural infection or vaccination are associated with the acquisition of serum activity inhibiting the adherence of B. pertussis to ciliated cells. Immunization may fail to elicit IgA antiadherence activity.