Characterization and diagnostic application of a lipopolysaccharide core oligosaccharide-protein conjugate.

Shigella sonnei phase II core oligosaccharide (OSPhII) was linked covalently with protein (bovine serum albumin or tetanus toxoid) to obtain a conjugate (OSPhII-protein) of good immunogenicity in rabbits. Anti-OSPhII-protein conjugate sera contained high levels of immunoglobulin G antibodies against the complete core region of Sh. sonnei lipopolysaccharide. The antigenic relationships between lipopolysaccharides of R1, R3 and R4 core types using anti-OSPhII-protein sera were studied. These antisera may be used for the rapid determination of core types in unknown enterobacterial strains.