The direct identification of Neisseria gonorrhoeae in clinical specimens (urethral and vaginal exudates) is necessary for the diagnosis of gonorhea a widespread sexually transmitted disease. This procedure usually involve a time consuming culturing step, in order to differentiate gonococcal organisms from others normally present in these speciments. A positive identification by immunological reagents would greatly aid in this identification and also, if sensitive and specific, could possibly eliminate the need and expense of prior culturing. Unfortunately, previou attempts at developing antisera specific for gonococci have not been successful in identifying these organisms because they are antigenically very heterogeneous, with many serovars. Antisera made against a particula strain of gonococci often fail to react with other, equally pathogenic strains. Instead, such antisera are more usually strain-specific. Recent studies on the antigenic components of gonococci indicate that certain protein components may be able to generate a more "universal" anti pathogenic gonococcal antiserum. Among these components is the protein pilin associated with the pili of these microbes. The amino acid sequence of this protein has recently become available. By using synthetic peptide based on this sequence it may be possible to develop antisera directed against structures common to other strains of gonococcal pili, thereby generating a useful immunodiagnostic reagent.National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)
