The ability of surfactant protein A (SP-A) to aggregate and opsonize type a and b Hemophilus influenzae was investigated. Type a, but not type b, was aggregated by SP-A. Aggregation was maximal at 24 micrograms SP-A/ml and was Ca(2+)-dependent. Aggregation of type a was inhibited by D-glucosyl-BSA but not by high concentrations of monosaccharides (D-mannose, D-galactose, D-glucose, or L-fucose) or by sialic acid, purified type a capsular polysaccharide, or type IV collagen. In Western blots, 125I-labeled SP-A bound to the major outer membrane protein (putatively P2) of type a hemophilus by a Ca(2+)-dependent mechanism. This binding was competitively inhibited by excess unlabeled SP-A. 125I-labeled SP-A also bound to the major membrane protein of type b, but at less than 5% of the level observed for type a. SP-A did not bind to lipooligosaccharides of either type a or type b. SP-A increased association of type a, but not type b, hemophilus with alveolar macrophages. After opsonization with SP-A, type a hemophilus were killed by alveolar macrophages, as indicated by bactericidal assays and the release of soluble, radiolabeled products from leukocytes. It is concluded that SP-A aggregated and opsonized type a hemophilus, but not type b, possibly because SP-A bound to the P2 outer membrane protein of type a to a greater extent.