Human Blood Group Substance B and Escherichia coli 086

Abstract

Blood group A activity was demonstrated in purified Vi antigen preparations and blood group B activity in whole cells of Escherichia coli 086. The immunological implications of these findings were investigated. The antigenicity of Vi antigen was essentially as great in group A or AB individuals as in those of other groups. Anti-B exerted a bactericidal effect upon E. coli 086, but further studies are obviously needed to determine the protective effect, if any, of anti-B against E. coli 086 or, indeed, of either isoantibody against any microbial agent which may possess blood group antigens. Nevertheless, cross-reactivity between blood group substance B and E. coli 086 affords a model for the possible influence of blood groups in resistance to infection against those microbial agents which may possess blood group antigens.