Evidence of persisting serum antibodies to Escherichia coli O157 lipopolysaccharide and Verocytotoxin in members of rural communities in England

The techniques of enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and immunoblott ing were used to examine a total of 1667 sera, from apparently healthy memb ers of rural communities in England, for antibodies to the lipopolysacchari de (LPS) of Escherichia coli O157 and Verocytotoxins (VT). Twenty-nine sera from 22 individuals were shown to have antibodies specific for E. coli O15 7 LPS. Some of these lived on livestock farms and had occupational contact with cattle, suggesting that personnel working with farm animals may produc e serum antibodies to the O157 LPS antigens. Fifteen people had IgG class a ntibodies to O157 LPS, suggesting long-term exposure to E. coli O157 and fi ve people had serum antibodies on more than one occasion showing evidence o f persistent antibodies to O157 LPS. Thirteen sera from 12 of 22 individual s also contained antibodies to VT1, VT2 or both toxins. Ten sera contained antibodies to VT1 and VT2, three sera contained antibodies to VT2 only.