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Antibodies to some enteropathogenic bacteria in serum of apparently healthy individuals in Ugobowo, Benin City, Nigeria


E Ophori
M Uwaechie
A Ogbim

Abstract

Antibodies to some enterobacteriaceae such as Escherichia coll, Proteus mirabilis, Klebsiella and Shigella spp. were assayed for in the sera of 50 apparently healthy individuals aged between 20-50 years at Ugobowo, Benin city, Nigeria. Sera were obtained by standard method and stored at -4°C for 24-48 hr. Antigens were prepared from bacteria isolates and were used for tile/passive haemagglutination. Results showed that 74, 66, 60 and 50% of the study subjects had antibodies to E. coli, Proteus, Ktebsiella and Shigella spp. respectively. Antibody to E. coli was highest. The highest antibody titre recorded was 1 in 8 for E. coli. Thirty-eight sera had cross reactivity to all four isolates. This study has the advantage of documenting a specific antibody response at a time when the pathogen may no longer be present or may not be isolated for other reasons such as the action of a chemotherapeutic agent.

Keywords: Antibodies, antigens, bacteria, haemagglutination, Nigeria


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