The kinetics of antibody production to antigens of Escherichia coli O157 in a pregnant woman with haemolytic uraemic syndrome.

Sequential blood samples taken from a pregnant woman with haemolytic uraemic syndrome caused by verocytotoxin (VT)-producing Escherichia coli O157 were used to examine the kinetics of serum antibody production to E. coli O157 lipopolysaccharide (LPS), intimin and the conserved region of the translocated intimin receptor (Tir-M). Umbilical cord blood and two samples of blood from the newborn baby were also examined for antibodies to these antigens.