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PubMed1980

[On the taxonomy of Actinobacillus, Haemophilus, and Pasteurella: DNA base composition, respiratory quinones, and biochemical reactions of representative collection cultures (author's transl)].

In a comparative study, 63 collection cultures representing 38 nomenspecies of, or assigned to, the genera Actinobacillus, Haemophilus, or Pasteurella were characterized by phenotypical features and deoxyribonucleic acid base composition. The latter was calculated from the thermal denaturation point. Biochemical reactions were tested in differential media commonly used for Enterobacteriaceae, and two test procedures were compared: (i) pure cultures with haematin and nicotine adenine dinucleotide added, where necessary, and (ii) xenocultures with an asaccharolytic Acinetobacter strain (ST 661/60). Furthermore, the respiratory quinones, and the effect of fumarate on oxygen-limited growth were considered. On the basis of these and some additional physiological and morphological criteria, a definition of the Actinobacillus-Haemophilus-Pasteurella group as a whole was established which appears to rank as a family. Several misclassified species, i.e. the so-called Actinobacillus actinoides, Haemophilus piscium, Haemophilus vaginalis, Pasteurella anatipestifer, and the organisms of the Bovine Lymphangitis group were eliminated, and the position of so-called Pasteurella piscicida was questioned. Some principles of subdivision of the group, and some of the practical identification procedures were discussed.

Actinobacillus↗

PubMed1997

[Serotype distribution of Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans].

A total of 131 Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans clinical strains from 28 periodontally healthy or diseased subjects were serologically categorized by indirect enzyme-linked immnosorbent assay. Sepecies-specific and serotype b, c-specific monoclonal antibodies against Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans were used. Preliminary data revealed that each subject harbored only one serotype of Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans. The distribution of serotype a, b and c were respectively 11%, 21% and 68%, both of periodontally healthy subjects harbered serotype b, 7 of 9 juvenile periodontitis subjects harbered serotype c, 12 of the other subjects which included 3 adult periodontitis and 14 gingivitis harbered serotype c.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1993

The importance of secreted virulence factors in Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae bacterin preparation: a comparison.

Current bacterins provide only partial protection against morbidity and mortality in swine following infection by Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae. We compared the efficacy of a cell-free concentrate from mid-log phase growth cultures of Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae (APP) serotype 1 to four commercial bacterins. This cell-free preparation contained carbohydrate, endotoxin, and protein, and had hemolytic and cytotoxic activity. Sodium dodecyl-sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis analysis indicated the presence of one major 110,000-molecular-weight protein. This protein band also stained by the periodic acid Schiff method, indicating the presence of carbohydrate. Cell-free concentrates of APP serotypes 5 and 7 had identical profiles following electrophoresis and staining with either Coomassie blue for protein or Schiff reagent for carbohydrate. Lipopolysaccharide profiles for the cell-free concentrates of serotypes 1 and 5 were semi-rough while the LPS profile for serotype 7 was smooth. Five A. pleuropneumoniae-free SPF pigs per group were vaccinated on days 0 and 21 with cell-free concentrate of serotype 1 plus adjuvant, or one of four commercial bacterins according to the manufacturer's directions. Control pigs were vaccinated with PBS mixed with adjuvant. All pigs were challenged intranasally on day 35 with serotype 1 and necropsied on day 50. Protection was greatest in the cell-free concentrate group, as compared with all other groups, in that no deaths occurred, clinical scores were less severe, and percent lung affected was significantly reduced (P < 0.05). In addition, whole-cell ELISA titers were significantly increased (P < 0.05) postvaccination in the cell-free concentrate group, and postvaccination and postchallenge sera neutralized the hemolytic activity of the cell-free concentrate from serotypes 1 and 5 (P < 0.05), as compared with all other groups. No serum neutralization to the hemolysin of serotype 7 was observed. Immunoblot analysis using antisera derived from gnotobiotic pigs indicated that the cell-free vaccine generated a response that was identical to the response observed following live challenge. Similar, but not identical, responses were observed when antisera generated against the bacterins was used. This study indicates that an acellular vaccine containing multiple virulence factors can provide complete protection from mortality and significantly reduced morbidity to homologous challenge.

Actinobacillus Infections↗

PubMed1994

Evaluation of a saline boiled extract, capsular polysaccharides and long-chain lipopolysaccharides of Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae serotype 1 as antigens for the serodiagnosis of swine pleuropneumonia.

A saline boiled extract (SBE), capsular polysaccharides (CPS) and long-chain lipopolysaccharides (LC-LPS) of Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae serotype 1 have been evaluated in ELISA for the serodiagnosis of swine pleuropneumonia caused by this serotype. Mean optical densities (ODs) obtained with the three antigens using sera from negative herds as well as from animals experimentally and naturally exposed to A. pleuropneumoniae serotypes 1, 9 or 11 were not significantly different. The positive ELISA reaction with anti-serotypes 9 and 11 was unexpected with the CPS, which are supposed to be serotype-specific; LPS, and to a lesser extent proteins, were present in the CPS and appeared to be responsible for this reaction. In addition, sera from animals exposed to a field strain of A. pleuropneumoniae serotype 3 and to Actinobacillus suis presented a significantly lower mean OD (P < 0.001) when LC-LPS were used. Cross-reacting antigens consisted mainly of LPS core-lipid A present in the SBE and CPS. The specificity and the sensitivity of the ELISA were evaluated using three different cut-off values (the OD plus two, three and four times the standard deviation or SD) obtained with 667 negative sera. The diagnostic sensitivity was of 81% with the three antigens and the different thresholds. The diagnostic specificity was of 84, 86 and 88% for the mean plus two, three and four times the SD respectively using the SBE and the CPS, while that obtained with the LC-LPS was of 96, 98 and 99% using the same thresholds. In conclusion, LC-LPS make an easily obtainable antigen and seem to retain the best specificity while minimizing losses of sensitivity.

Actinobacillus Infections↗

PubMed1995

Susceptibility to Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae infection in pigs from an endemically infected herd is related to the presence of toxin-neutralizing antibodies.

Our objective was to identify pigs of an endemically infected herd that were susceptible to pleuropneumonia due to Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae. The presence of toxin-neutralizing antibodies was studied in serum of 36 pigs from birth until 24 weeks of age. Titers gradually declined during the first twelve weeks of life and increased thereafter. Sera from one-hundred 3-weeks-old piglets and one-hundred 20-weeks-old pigs were sampled and neutralization titers were determined. From each group we selected 5 pigs with the lowest titers and 5 pigs with the highest titers. These selected pigs (n = 20) were inoculated endobronchially with A. pleuropneumoniae. Pigs that survived from infection were necropsied after 48 h. Pigs with low neutralization titers had severe lung lesions, whereas pigs with high titers had no or minor lung lesion. These differences were significant (P < 0.05). From this field study we conclude that susceptibility to Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae can be predicted by absence of toxin-neutralizing antibodies.

Actinobacillus Infections↗

PubMed2004

Use of recombinant ApxIV in serodiagnosis of Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae infections, development and prevalidation of the ApxIV ELISA.

Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae is the etiological agent of porcine pleuropneumonia, which causes worldwide severe losses in pig farming. The virulence of the 15 serotypes of A. pleuropneumoniae is mainly determined by the three major RTX toxins ApxI, ApxII and ApxIII, which are secreted by the different serotypes in various combinations. A fourth RTX toxin, ApxIV, is produced by all 15 serotypes only during infection of pigs, but not under in vitro conditions. Pigs infected with A. pleuropneumoniae show specific antibodies directed against ApxIV. In contrast, antibodies against the other three toxins ApxI, ApxII and ApxIII are also found in pigs free of A. pleuropneumoniae. The antibodies to the three latter might result from other, less pathogenic Actinobacillus species such as A. rossii and A. suis. We used a recombinant protein based on the N'-terminal part of ApxIV to serologically detect A. pleuropneumoniae infections in pigs by immunoblot analysis. The analysis of sera of experimentally infected pigs revealed that ApxIV-immunoblots detected A. pleuropneumoniae infections in the second to third week post infection. We developed an indirect ELISA based on the purified recombinant N'-terminal moiety of ApxIV. The analysis of sera from pigs that were experimentally or naturally infected by A. pleuropneumoniae, and of sera of pigs that were free of A. pleuropneumoniae, revealed that the ELISA had a specificity of 100% and a sensitivity of 93.8%. The pre-validation study of the ApxIV-ELISA revealed that the latter was able to detect A. pleuropneumoniae-positive herds, even when clinical and pathological signs of porcine pleuropneumonia were not evident. Pigs vaccinated with a subunit vaccine Porcilis App were serologically negative in the ApxIV-ELISA.

Actinobacillus Infections↗

PubMed2005

Characterization of the type I secretion system of the RTX toxin ApxII in "Actinobacillus porcitonsillarum".

Strains of Actinobacillus porcitonsillarum are regularly isolated from the tonsils of healthy pigs. A. porcitonsillarum is non pathogenic but phenotypically it strongly resembles the pathogenic species Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae, thereby interfering with the diagnosis of the latter. A. porcitonsillarum is hemolytic but unlike A. pleuropneumoniae, it contains only apxII genes and not apxI or apxIII genes. In contrast to the truncated apxII operon of A. pleuropneumoniae, which lacks the type I secretion genes BD, characterization of the apxII operon in A. porcitonsillarum revealed that it contains an intact and complete apxII operon. This shows a typical RTX operon structure with the gene arrangement apxIICABD. The region upstream of the apxII operon is also different from that in A. pleuropneumoniae and contains an additional gene, aspC, encoding a putative aspartate aminotransferase. Trans-complementation experiments in Escherichia coli and A. pleuropneumoniae indicated that the entire apxII operon of A. porcitonsillarum is sufficient to express and secrete the ApxIIA toxin and that the ApxIIA toxin of A. pleuropneumoniae can be secreted by the type I secretion system encoded by apxIIBD. These findings suggest that the complete apxII operon found in A. porcitonsillarum might be an ancestor of the truncated homologue found in A. pleuropneumoniae. The genetic context of the apxII locus in A. porcitonsillarum and A. pleuropneumoniae suggests that in the latter, the contemporary truncated operon is the result of a recombination event within the species, rather than a horizontal transfer of an incomplete operon.

Actinobacillus↗

PubMed2006

Changes in antimicrobial susceptibility of Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae isolated from pigs in Spain during the last decade.

A total of 229 Spanish Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae isolates recovered from diseased pigs with pleuropneumonia from 1997 to 2004 was tested for their susceptibility to 11 antimicrobials in a broth microdilution method. All the isolates were susceptible to florfenicol and most of them to cephalothin; however, a high rate of resistance was observed to tetracycline. A bimodal or multimodal distribution of isolates over the MIC range were observed for penicillins, tetracycline, trimethoprim, sulfisoxazole and nalidixic acid, suggesting the development of acquired resistance. Eight resistance patterns were established, and 21.1% of the isolates were resistant to at least two antimicrobials. In addition, a considerable increase in the resistance to tetracyclines was observed during the last decade in Spain, when compared with other A. pleuropneumoniae strains isolated during 1987-1988 (Gutiérrez, C.B., Píriz, S., Vadillo, S., Rodríguez Ferri, E.F., 1993. In vitro susceptibility of Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae strains to 42 antimicrobial agents. Am. J. Vet. Res. 54, 546-550); this finding was also observed for gentamicin in minor percentage.

Actinobacillus Infections↗

PubMed2006

An evaluation of the apxIVA based PCR-REA method for differentiation of Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae.

A restriction analysis of PCR (PCR-REA) amplified apxIVA gene has been suggested as an alternative method for serotyping of Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae by Jaglic et al. [Jaglic, Z., Svastova, P., Rychlik, I., Nedbalcova, K., Kucerova, Z., Pavlik, I., Bartos, M., 2004. Differentiation of Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae by PCR-REA based on sequence variability of the apxIVA gene and by ribotyping. Vet. Microbiol. 103, 63-69]. The current study investigated whether this alternative method could distinguish between the reference strains of serovars 13-15 and the value of the method when applied to 47 field isolates representing serovars 1-3, 5, 7-9, 12 and 15 as well as non-typable isolates. The reference strains of serovars 13 and 14 had the same sized product after the apxIVA PCR, while the product for serovar 15 was of different size compared to all the other serovar reference strains. The CfoI digest profiles of the reference serovars 13 and 14 strains were different from each other and from all other serovars. The HpaII digest profiles of these two serovars were very similar to each other, but both were distinctively different from the other serovar profiles. The CfoI digest profile of serovar 15 strain was very similar to the serovars 3 and 12 strains except for two faint extra bands for serovar 15. The HpaII digest profiles of serovars 12 and 15 reference strains were identical. The PCR-REA method correctly recognized the serovar of 21 of 43 field isolates. It was concluded that the method was a useful additional tool to support, but could not replace, conventional serotyping.

Actinobacillus Infections↗

PubMed1999

Effects of Actinobacillus equuli culture supernatants on equine neutrophil functions and survival.

After exposure of equine granulocytes from both foals and adult horses to culture supernatants from clinical isolates of Actinobacillus equuli, phagocytic capacity and respiratory burst was examined by flow-cytometry and a chemiluminescence assay, respectively. One haemolytic isolate of an equine Actinobacillus was also included in the study. An average decrease of 22% in total number of granulocytes, in the flow cytometric assay (P < 0.01), and an average decrease of 26% in light emission, in the chemiluminescence assay (P < 0.001), was seen after exposure to bacterial culture supernatants of A. equuli, indicating that the supernatants contained leukotoxic bacterial products. Supernatants from the haemolytic isolate appeared to contain a higher amount or more potent leukotoxic metabolites when haemolysis was expressed, causing a decrease in total number of granulocytes of 44% (P < 0.01) and a decrease in light emission of 52% (P < 0.01). Evaluation of the stability of the methods used revealed that within-method variation was far less than the observed results. The leukotoxic effects of A. equuli culture supernatants were mainly reflected in the decreased survival of neutrophils and not in neutrophil functions.

Actinobacillus↗

PubMed2001

Effect of endobronchial challenge with Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae serotype 9 of pigs vaccinated with a vaccine containing Apx toxins and transferrin-binding proteins.

The efficacy of a subunit vaccine containing the Apx toxins of Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae and transferrin-binding proteins was determined. Ten pigs were vaccinated twice with the vaccine. Eight control animals were injected twice with a saline solution. Three weeks after the second vaccination, all pigs were endobronchially inoculated with 10(6.5) colony-forming units (CFU) of an A. pleuropneumoniae serotype 9 strain. In the vaccine group, none of the pigs died after inoculation. Only one pig of the control group survived challenge. Surviving pigs were killed at 7 days after challenge. The mean percentage of affected lung tissue was 64% in the control group and 17% in the vaccine group. Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae was isolated from the lungs of all animals. The mean bacterial titres of the caudal lung lobes were 5.0 x 10(8) CFU/g in the control group and 3.0 x 10(6) CFU/g in the vaccine group. It was concluded that the vaccine induced partial protection against severe challenge.

Actinobacillus Infections↗

PubMed2003

Effect of endobronchial challenge with Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae serotype 10 of pigs vaccinated with bacterins consisting of A. pleuropneumoniae serotype 10 grown under NAD-rich and NAD-restricted conditions.

The efficacy of two bacterins containing an Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae serotype 10 strain was evaluated. The bacterial cells constituting bacterin 1 and 2 were grown under nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD)-rich (low-adherence capacity to alveolar epithelial cell cultures) and NAD-restricted (high-adherence capacity to alveolar epithelial cell cultures) conditions, respectively. Ten pigs were vaccinated twice with the bacterin 1 and nine pigs with the bacterin 2. Ten control animals were injected twice with a saline solution. Three weeks after the second vaccination, all pigs were endobronchially inoculated with 106.5 colony-forming units (CFU) of an A. pleuropneumoniae serotype 10 strain. In the bacterin 1 and 2 group, three and two pigs died after inoculation, respectively. Only two pigs of the control group survived challenge. Surviving pigs were killed at 7 days after challenge. The percentage of pigs with severe lung lesions (> 10% of the lung affected) was 100% in the control group, 70% in the bacterin 1 group and 22% in the bacterin 2 group. Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae was isolated from the lungs of all animals. The mean bacterial titres of the caudal lung lobes were 7.0 x 10(6) CFU/g in the control group, 6.3 x 10(5) CFU/g in the bacterin 1 group and 1.3 x 10(6) CFU/g in the bacterin 2 group. It was concluded that both bacterins induced partial protection against severe challenge. Furthermore, there are indications that the bacterin 2, containing A. pleuropneumoniae bacteria grown under conditions resulting in high in vitro adhesin, induced better protection than the bacterin 1.

Actinobacillus Infections↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Serologic profile of a cohort of pigs and antibody response to an autogenous vaccine for Actinobacillus suis.

Actinobacillus suis is a commensal opportunistic pathogen in swine. However, in recent years, an increasing prevalence of clinical signs associated with A. suis has been observed in high health status herds in North America. The objectives of the study were to assess the kinetics of antibodies to A. suis in pigs from a herd showing clinical signs of A. suis infection and, to evaluate the antibody response in gilts following vaccination with an autogenous vaccine. An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) using a saline extract of boiled-formalinized whole cells of a field strain as the coating antigen was standardized. This ELISA was used as a tool for monitoring, in a comparative way, the variations in A. suis antibody levels. The herd selected for the serologic profile was negative for Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae infection and showed clinical signs of A. suis infection in 16 to 19-week-old pigs. A cohort of 20 pigs was blood sampled at 5, 8, 12, and 16 weeks of age. The lowest level of serum antibodies was observed between weeks 8 and 12, this probably corresponding to a decrease in maternal immunity. A marked increase in the antibody response was seen at 16-week of age, at the approximate time of onset of A. suis clinical signs in the herd. The evaluation of serum antibody responses to an autogenous vaccine revealed that the humoral immunity of gilts further increased following vaccination although the level of antibodies was already high prior to vaccination. The magnitude of the response to vaccination was higher when the level of antibodies was low prior to the first injection. The ELISA test seems to detect antibodies against the O-chain LPS.

Actinobacillus↗

PubMed2000

Actinobacillus species and their role in animal disease.

Actinobacillus species are Gram-negative bacteria responsible for several quite distinct disease conditions of animals. The natural habitat of the organisms is primarily the upper respiratory tract and oral cavity. A. lignieresii is the cause of actinomycosis (wooden tongue) in cattle: a sporadic, insidiously-developing granulomatous infection. In sharp contrast is A. pleuropneumoniae which is responsible for a rapidly spreading often fatal pneumonia, common among intensively reared pigs. Detailed investigation of this organism has provided a much clearer picture of the bacterial factors involved in causing disease. A. equuli similarly causes a potent septicaemia in the neonatal foal; growing apparently unrestricted once infection occurs. Other members of the genus induce characteristic pathogenesis in their preferred host, with one, A. actinomycetemcomitans, being a cause of human periodontal disease. This article reviews recent understanding of the taxonomy and bacteriology of the organisms, and the aetiology, pathogenicity, diagnosis and control of animal disease caused by Actinobacillus species.

Actinobacillus↗

PubMed1994

Effects of ketoprofen and flunixin in pigs experimentally infected with Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae.

The antipyretic effect of the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) ketoprofen (3 mg/kg) and flunixin (2 mg/kg) were studied in pigs. The drugs were administered intramuscularly at 8 and 32 h following endobronchial challenge with Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae. Infected (non-medicated) and non-infected (non-medicated) controls were used. Endobronchial challenge with Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae induced laboured breathing, coughing, fever, reduced food and water consumption and increased white blood cell counts. At autopsy, pleuropneumonia was evident. Ketoprofen showed a highly significant antipyretic effect but flunixin did not. The decrease in food consumption of ketoprofen-treated pigs was significantly less than that of the infected (non-medicated) controls. Blood parameters were not significantly influenced by either NSAID and, at necropsy, gastric and renal side-effects were not observed for either drug.

Actinobacillus Infections↗

PubMed2006

A subset of Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae in vivo induced promoters respond to branched-chain amino acid limitation.

Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae is the causative agent of a necrotizing hemorrhagic pleuropneumonia in swine. In this study, we investigate the possibility that the limitation of branched-chain amino acids is a stimulus that A. pleuropneumoniae will encounter during infection and will respond to by up-regulation of genes involved in branched-chain amino acid biosynthesis and virulence. Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae genetic loci that are specifically induced during infection were screened in vitro for expression in response to limitation of branched-chain amino acids. Of 32 in vivo induced promoter clones screened in vitro, eight were induced on chemically defined medium without isoleucine, leucine and valine as compared to complete chemically defined medium. We identify the genomic context of each clone and discuss its relevance to branched-chain amino acid limitation and virulence. We conclude that limitation of branched-chain amino acids is a cue for expression of a subset in vivo induced genes, including not only genes involved in the biosynthesis of branched-chain amino acids, but also other genes that are induced during infection of the natural host. These results suggest that limitation of branched-chain amino acids may be one of an array of environmental cues responsible for the induction of virulence-associated genes in A. pleuropneumoniae.

Actinobacillus Infections↗

PubMed1995

Evaluation of pig lungs following an experimental challenge with Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae serotype 1 and 5 in pigs inoculated with either hemolysin protein and/or outer membrane proteins.

Histopathological changes were compared in pigs challenged with Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae serotype 1 and serotype 5 after inoculation with subunit vaccines. The vaccines consisted of outer membrane protein and/or hemolysin protein isolated from Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae serotype 1 or both subunits combined. Twenty-seven cross-bred pigs were separated into six groups: Groups I and IV were vaccinated and boostered with 1500 micrograms outer membrane protein; Groups II and V were vaccinated and boostered with 250 micrograms hemolysin protein; Groups III and VI were vaccinated and boostered with a combination of 1500 micrograms outer membrane protein and 250 micrograms hemolysin protein. Groups I, II and III were challenged with A. pleuropneumoniae serotype 1; and Groups IV, V and VI were challenged with A. pleuropneumoniae serotype 5. Groups III and VI demonstrated the least severe lung tissue damage, with significantly lower (P < 0.05) lung involvement as compared to the other groups. Lesions were noted in all six groups. These results showed that complete protection against A. pleuropneumoniae infection was not feasible using a subunit vaccine consisting of just outer membrane protein and hemolysin protein, and that some cross-protection did occur.

Actinobacillus Infections↗

PubMed1983

Serology of oral Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans and serotype distribution in human periodontal disease.

Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans from the human oral cavity was serologically characterized with rabbit antisera to the type strain NCTC 9710; a number of reference strains, including Y4, ATCC 29522, ATCC 29523, ATCC 29524, NCTC 9709; and our own isolates representative of each of 10 biotypes. Using immunoabsorbed antisera, we identified three distinct serotypes by immunodiffusion and indirect immunofluorescence. Serotype a was represented by ATCC 29523 and SUNYaB 75; serotype b was represented by ATCC 29522 and Y4; and serotype c was represented by NCTC 9710 and SUNYaB 67. Indirect immunofluorescence revealed no reaction between the three A. actinomycetemcomitans serotype-specific antisera and 62 strains representing 23 major oral bacterial species. Distinct from the serotype antigens were at least one A. actinomycetemcomitans species common antigen and an antigen shared with other Actinobacillus species, Haemophilus aphrophilus, and Haemophilus paraphrophilus. All serotype a A. actinomycetemcomitans strains failed to ferment xylose, whereas all serotype b organisms fermented xylose. Serotype c included xylose-positive as well as xylose-negative strains. A total of 301 isolates of A. actinomycetemcomitans from the oral cavity of 74 subjects were serologically categorized by indirect immunofluorescence with serotype-specific rabbit antisera. Each patient harbored only one serotype of A. actinomycetemcomitans. Fourteen healthy subjects, five diabetics, and seventeen adult periodontitis patients exhibited serotypes a and b in approximately equal frequency, whereas serotype c was found less frequently. In contrast, in 29 localized juvenile periodontitis patients, the incidence of serotype b was approximately two times higher than that of serotypes a or c, suggesting a particularly high periodontopathic potential of A. actinomycetemcomitans serotype b strains. In subjects infected with A. actinomycetemcomitans, serum antibodies were detected to the serotype antigens, indicating that these antigens may play a role in the pathogenesis of periodontal disease.

Actinobacillus↗