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WHAT IS SEROLOGY?

Application of immunologic principles for

the study of serum used in diagnosis of
infections or detection of analytes in serum

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LAB SAFETY

Wear laboratory coat at all times.

No food and drinks in the lab.
Specimens needing centrifugation should be
capped.

Use a gauze square when opening rubber-

stoppered tubes to avoid aerosol production.

No mouth pipetting allowed.

LAB SAFETY

Treat all specimens as hazardous

(potentially infectious).

Cover open wounds.

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PROTECTIVE TECHNIQUES
Selection and use of gloves
Facial barrier protection and occlusive bandages
Laboratory gowns
Handwashing
Decontamination of work surfaces, equipment and
spills

QUALITY ASSURANCE

Always refer to the SOP (Standard

Operating Procedures)

Always read the protocol before

performing any serologic exam.

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TWO TYPES OF SEROLOGIC REACTIONS

Primary reaction antigen antibody

reaction not visible to the naked eye

(labeled immunoassays)

Secondary reaction antigen-antibody

reaction visible to the naked eye
(agglutination, precipitation)

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AGGLUTINATION VS PRECIPITATION

Agglutination reaction between a particulate

antigen and antibodies.

Precipitation reaction between a soluble antigen

and antibodies.

PARTICULATE ANTIGENS (AGGLUTINOGENS)

BACTERIA
WHITE BLOOD CELLS
RED BLOOD CELLS
LATEX PARTICLES

AGGLUTININ - antibody

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APPLICATIONS OF AGGLUTINATION
Blood grouping
Diagnosis of infectious diseases
Measure levels of certain therapeutic drugs,
hormones and plasma proteins

Agglutination reactions may be used to

detect either antigen or antibodies

DIRECT AGGLUTINATION

The antigen is an intrinsic component

of the particle (e.g. bacterium)
Determine whether an antibody is
present in biological fluids
Used primarily for the diagnosis of
infectious diseases

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INDIRECT AGGLUTINATION

The antigen has been affixed or absorbed to the

particle size

The antigen coats or sensitizes the particle.

Particles: latex, charcoal, clay (bentonite], or
colloidal gold

REVERSE AGGLUTINATION

The antibody is attached to the particle and

biological sample is tested for presence of
antigen.

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HEMAGGLUTINATION

Hemagglutination of red blood cells either by direct or indirect

agglutination

In direct hemagglutination, the antigen is an intrinsic

component of the RBCs

In indirect hemagglutination, soluble antigens are complexed

with the red blood cell

In reverse hemagglutination, antibody is complexed to the red

blood cell.

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AGGLUTINATION RXNS MAY BE:

Qualitative
Semi-quantitative
Quantitative

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