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

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