Common surface epitope of Bartonella bacilliformis and Chlamydia psittaci
Knobloch, J.; Bialek, R.; Müller, G.; Asmus, P.
American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene 39(5): 427-433
1988
ISSN/ISBN: 0002-9637 PMID: 2461660 Document Number: 314145
A serosurvey revealed intense cross-reactivity between Bartonella bacilliformis and Chlamydia psittaci. One of the cross-reacting Bartonella antigens was identified as lipopolysaccharide which reacted with Bartonella as well as with Chlamydia serum antibodies. A monoclonal Bartonella antibody bound to Bartonella lipopolysaccharide as well as to the surfaces of Bartonella bacilliformis and Chlamydia psittaci. It was thus demonstrated that Chlamydia psittaci carries a surface epitope identical to an epitope of Bartonella lipopolysaccharide. The lipopolysaccharide was preliminarily characterized by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and by a lectin-binding assay. The lipopolysaccharides of Bartonella bacilliformis and Chlamydia psittaci are not identical.