338 THE ADHESION OF STREPTOCOCCUS PNEUMONIAE TO HUMAN EPITHELIAL CELLS

Authors :: Ronald de Groot
Wil H F Goessens
Theo Hoogenboezem
Peter W. M. Hermans
Marcel Sluyter
Hoog Van't
A Irma
Source :: Pediatric Research. 36:59A-59A
Publication Year :: 1994
Publisher :: Springer Science and Business Media LLC, 1994.
Abstract: The adhesion of 32 Streptococcus pneumoniae isolates to human nasopharyngeal and buccal epithelial cells was investigated. Four strains, showing over 200 bacteria per nasopharyngeal cell were classified as highly adherent. Comparable results were obtained with buccal epithelial cells. The pneumococcal adhesin was shown to be proteinaceous. A novel adhesion assay was developed using epithelial cells immobilized in ELISA plates. This method enabled us to screen large numbers of isolates.