Adherence of Fusobacterium necrophorum subsp necrophorum to ruminal cells derived from bovine rumenitis

Fusobacterium necrophorum subsp. necrophorum strain VPI 2891 was shown to a dhere to the surfaces of ruminal cells derived from bovine rumenitis. The s train also attached to bovine type 1 collagen. Treatment of the bacterium w ith antiserum to bacterial cells reduced attachment. The bacterial attachme nt was also markedly reduced when the ruminal cells had been pretreated wit h anticollagen serum. Fluorescence specific for the collagen was demonstrat ed on the surface of bovine tissue affected with rumenitis. These findings suggest that F. necrophorum subsp. necrophorum strain VPI 2891 adheres to t he ruminal cells derived from rumenitis tissue and that the attachment may be mediated by cellular collagen.