Specificity of monoclonal antibodies to Campylobacter jejuni lipopolysaccharide antigens

Monoclonal antibodies (Mabs) were produced to the lipopolysaccharide antigens of Campylobacter jejuni strain 1249 (Penner serotype O:2/63). A polymyxin-cloth based enzyme immunoassay (pCEIA) was used for initial screening and for evaluating the specificity of these antibodies. Seven Mabs reacted with at least 11 and as many as 14 of 15 C. jejuni strains (representing 8 different Penner serotypes). These seven Mabs did not cross-react with any of 16 non-Campylobacter bacteria commonly encountered in food, with only two exceptions. Several combinations of these Mabs in pairs reacted with all 15 C. jejuni strains. These results suggest that pCEIA employing two of these Mabs in combination is potentially useful for detection of Campylobacter jejuni in foods and other samples.