Serotyping of Chlamydia trachomatis by indirect fluorescent-antibody staining of inclusions in cell culture with monoclonal antibodies.

A new method for determining the serovars of Chlamydia trachomatis isolates by utilizing fluorescent-antibody staining of inclusions in cell culture is described. Monoclonal antibodies which have been successfully used previously for serotyping in the microimmunofluorescence test were employed. The cell culture method offers two advantages over the microimmunofluorescence test for many laboratories. It requires less antigen of the new isolate, about 10% cell culture infectivity versus 50% for the microimmunofluorescence test. Although fewer isolates can be typed at one time in cell culture, the technical requirements of the test are less rigorous.