Antibody levels in mothers colonised with group B streptococci during pregnancy and in their newborn infants, as measured by an enzyme linked immunosorbent assay

Abstract

An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was developed to measure serum antibodies to group B streptococci in 20 healthy pregnant women before delivery and in their newborn infants. The sera from 10 of these women who were colonised with group B streptococci and umbilical cord sera from their infants, had higher levels of type-specific IgG antibody than the 10 non-colonised controls and their neonates. All the babies remained well. The results demonstrate that infants from colonised mothers receive type-specific antibody. The possibility that this antibody may provide some degree of protection at birth against this potentially lethal organism warrants investigation.

Mouse protection assay for group B streptococcus type III

“…Cleat et al (9) used an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) test to show that immunoglobulin G (IgG) was the antibody pressent in significantly higher amounts in GBS type III colonized versus noncolonized mothers. The IgG level was measurable in both of the maternal groups as well as their neonates, but it was VOL.…”