ANTIBODIES AGAINST E. COLI O-ANTIGENS AND COMMON ENTEROBACTERIAL ANTIGEN IN KIDNEY-TRANSPLANT RECIPIENTS

Abstract

Using indirect hemagglutination, sera from 45 patients who had undergone renal transplantation were examined for O-antibodies against 10 selected uropathogenic Escherichia coli strains, and against common enterobacterial antigen (anti-CA). Bilateral nephrectomy was carried out usually less than 3 mo. after transplantation, and serum from the time of nephrectomy was examined. The aim was to correlate antibody findings with evidence of urinary tract infection (UTI), as assessed by significant bacteriuria or growth of bacteria from the nephrectomy specimens. All the sera contained antibodies against several of the E. coli strains, mostly in titers .ltoreq. 160, but titers up to 5120 occurred. No statistically significant correlation was found between the occurrence of high titers of type-specific O-antibodies to E. coli and evidence of E. coli UTI. Anti-Ca.sbd.present in the sera of 19 patients, mostly in titers of 10-40.sbd.occurred with significantly increased frequency in patients with E. coli-associated bacteriuria before transplantation and in patients with growth of E. coli from the nephrectomy specimens. Anti-CA.sbd.even in low titers.sbd.appeared to give a better serological parameter of E. coli UTI than screening for antibodies against the selected uropathogenic E. coli strains.