IMMUNOENZYMOMETRIC ASSAYS FOR ALKALINE PROTEASE AND EXOTOXIN-A FROM PSEUDOMONAS-AERUGINOSA - DEVELOPMENT AND USE IN DETECTING EXOPROTEINS IN CLINICAL ISOLATES FROM PATIENTS WITH CYSTIC-FIBROSIS

Using immunoenzymometric assays, the production of elastase, alkaline protease and exotoxin A was determined in culture supernatants of 35 s trains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolated from patients suffering from cystic fibrosis. The assays were simple, specific, sensitive and repr oducible, and permitted the determination of low levels of exoproteins . A large strain variability of exoprotein production was found. Most of the strains secreted all three exoproteins, but six out of the 35 s trains (17%) did not secrete at least one of the three (< 0.3 mu g/l). A significant correlation was observed between elastase and exotoxin A productions (r = 0.697, p < 0.001).