Monoclonal antibodies to Afipia felis--a putative agent of cat scratch disease.

Twelve hybridoma clones producing monoclonal antibodies to Afipia felis, a putative causative agent of cat scratch disease, were derived from BALB/c mice immunized with A felis. All 12 monoclonal antibodies were species-specific for A felis and reacted with lipopolysaccharide antigens of A felis. These monoclonal antibodies belong to immunoglobulin (Ig) G1, IgG2a, IgG2b, IgG3, and IgM isotypes. All monoclonal antibodies reacted with both agar-grown A felis and tissue culture-propagated A felis. Formalin fixation did not alter the reactivity of the antigen with the monoclonal antibodies. These monoclonal antibodies could be a useful tool for investigation of the disputed role of A felis in cat scratch disease.