We studied the lipooligosaccharides (LOS) of 28 group A Neisseria meningitidis of epidemiologically diverse origins to investigate whether each of the LOS serotypes found in serogroup A could be identified physically as well as antigenically. Using a dot blot assay with LOS-specific monoclonal antibodies (MAbs), we identified four epitopes that were serotype specific. The LOS from strains of each serotype were electromorphically and antigenically distinct when analyzed by silver-stained sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and immunoblotting. The LOS of L8 strains contained a 3,600-Mr component that bound the L8 MAb. The LOS of L9 strains contained two major components of 4,500 and 4,200 Mr. They bound the L9 MAb to the larger component. The LOS of L10 strains had a single major component of 4,000 Mr that bound the L10 MAb. The LOS of L1l strains contained a major 3,600-Mr component that could not be distinguished from the 3,600-Mr LOS of L8 strains by SDS-PAGE but that bound the Lll MAb. LOS of group A strains contained a highly conserved epitope in addition to a serotype-specific epitope. This was identified by a MAb that bound to all the strains on dot-blots and to multiple LOS components of various Mrs on immunoblots. We conclude that the LOS which bear the L9, L10, and Lll determinants are physically distinct and can be identified by SDS-PAGE or MAb binding or both. L8 and Lll are both borne on a 3.6-kilodalton LOS and can only be distinguished serologically.

Vibrio parahaemolyticus is the leading cause of acute seafood-associated gastroenteritis worldwide. The aim of this study was to investigate the presence of virulence genes, biofilm formation, motor capacities and antimicrobial resistance profile of V. parahaemolyticus isolates isolated from clinical samples in Nantong during 2018–2020. Sixty-six V. parahaemolyticus strains isolated from stool specimens of diarrheal patients were examined. The PCR results showed that there were two tdh+trh+ isolates, four tdh-trh- isolates and sixty tdh+trh- isolates, accounting for 3.0%, 6.1% and 90.9%, respectively. All the tdh carrying isolates manifested the positive reactions for the Kanagawa phenomenon (KP) test. Most of the isolates harbored at least one of the specific DNA markers of ‘pandemic group’ strains, suggesting that the dominant isolates of V. parahaemolyticus in Nantong might belong to the new O3: K6 or its serovariants. All tdh+ isolates possessed the Vp-PAI genes, but no tdh-trh- isolates carried the T3SS2 genes. All isolates were biofilm producers and had relatively strong motor capacities. In addition, the V. parahaemolyticus isolates were resistant to ampicillin (98.5%), cefuroxime (75.6%), cefepime (66.7%), piperacillin (59.1%) and ampicillin/sulbactam (50.0%), but sensitive to ciprofloxacin (100.0%), levofloxacin (100.0%), trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (98.5%), gentamicin (98.5%), amikacin (97%), meropenem (71.2%), and ceftazidime (56.1%). Multidrug-resistant isolates in clinical might be related to the inappropriate use of antimicrobials in aquaculture.

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