Hemagglutinating properties of Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae

A total of 26 isolates of Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae were tested for their ability to agglutinate erythrocytes of different origins. Seven different hemagglutination patterns were found. Ten (38%) isolates did not agglutinate any of the erythrocytes tested. The remaining 16 (62%) isolates agglutinated human erythrocytes, and among these, 12 also agglutinated rat, cat, dog, guinea pig, or bovine erythrocytes. No correlation was found between the seven different hemagglutination patterns observed and the serotypes. Hemagglutination activity was destroyed by heating at 100 degrees C as well as by formaldehyde treatment, but was not affected by heating at 60 degrees C, by treatment with trypsin or pronase, or by homogenization of bacterial cells. No fimbriae were observed on examination of bacterial cells negatively stained with phosphotungstate using electron microscopy. Hydrophobic surface properties of the isolates were evaluated. All the isolates appear to possess a hydrophilic cell surface. The present study provides evidence that certain isolates of A. pleuropneumoniae possess hemagglutinating properties which do not appear to be mediated by fimbriae or to involve hydrophobic interactions.