Mechanized procedures for the serology of Salmonella.

A mechanized microtechnique originally designed for the serotyping of E. coli was adapted to the specificity control of diagnostic Salmonella agglutinating antisera as well as for the serotyping of Salmonella. Salmonella strains sent for serotyping were inoculated into a tube with broth which was used as H antigen and, after heating also as O antigen. The agglutination reactions were carried out in clear plastic trays with U formed wells. The antigens were strained with gentian violet in order to obtain a better contrast. With only 6 monofactor O sera, 97% of 100,000 cultures received for serotyping in 1979-1982 could be O antigen typed. Eight H antisera were sufficient for the complete serotyping of 27% of these strains whereas 64% was partly typed. The technique has a high degree of versatility.