Effects of carbohydrates in growth medium on agglutination of several species of Salmonella with polyvalent H antiserum.

The effect of various carbohydrates in the growth medium on agglutination of salmonellae with polyvalent H antiserum was studied. There appeared to be a relationship between fermentation of the carbohydrate by the organism and resultant agglutination with the antiserum. It is recommended that the tube test for flagellar antigens be allowed to remain in a water bath for 2 hr before the final observation is made. Sorbitol, dulcitol, mannose, maltose, rhamnose, or trehalose, when included in the growth medium for Salmonella, yielded high percentages of positive agglutinations with all conditions of the experiment.