SEROLOGICAL CLASSIFICATION OF

BACTERIA

Presented by,
JASRIN FATHIMA
I MSC MICROBIOLOGY
BHARATHIAR UNIVERSITY
 CLASSIFICATION OF BACTERIA

• Common classifications - based on morphology,

physiology, staining, growth conditions, etc.
• There are other clasifications like-
-Phylogenetic
-Adansonian
-Molecular or genetic
-Intraspecies
 INTRASPECIES CLASSIFICATION

• For diagnosis and epidemology, bacterial species

have to be subclassified.
• This is either based on
biochemistry(biotypes),antigenic
featuresserotypes),bacteriophage
susceptibility(phage typing) or production of
bacteriocins(colicin types).
• The process of differentiating strains based on
their phenotypic and genotypic differences-
typing.
 SEROLOGY

• Serology is the scientific study of blood serum.

• It refers to diagnostic idetification of antibodies in the
serum.
• In order to identify antibodies, serological tests are
carried out.
• These are based on antibodies(unknown) specifically
binding to antigens(known).
 SEROLOGICAL CLASSIFICATION
• An intraspecies classification
• Based on antigenic properties
• The pathogen in the serum isolated from a patient is
identified by studying its antigenic properties with the
help of immune diagnostic sera.
• Strains classified by antigenic differences – serotypes
• Serovars – group of microorganisms with same cell
surface antigens
• Eg: Ureaplasma urealyticum- 14 serovars
• A group of serovars
with common antigens
constitute serogroup.
• Eg: Salmonella enterica
serovar Typhimurium
S. enterica serovar
Typhi
• Serotypes were
discovered by Rebecca
Lancefield(1933).
 CLASSIFICATION
Streptococcus
 Gram positive,normal flora of
human and animals
Haemolytic Streptococci- based
on nature of carbohydrate(C)
antigen on cell wall.
20 Lancefield groups identified.
Sub divided into serotypes
based on M proteins(important
for virulence and phagocytosis)
T (trypsin resistant) and R
proteins also.
Neisseria
Gram negative, aerobic, non
motile
N.memingitidis and N.
Gonorrhoeae- pathogenic
species
Based on capsular
polysaccharide antigens-13
serogroups(A,B,C,X,Y,W-
135,29-E)
Enterobacteriaceae I:
Coliforms
Gram negative, aerobic
bactreial flora of large intestine
of animals and human.
Serotyping based on 3
antigens:
O-lipopolysaccharide,heat
stable
H-heat labile,specific
K-envelops O and renders
agglutination by O antiserum
F-virulence factors
Enterobacteriaceae II :
Shigella
Gram negative,non motile,
non capsulated
One or more major antigens
and a large number of minor
somatic O antigens.
Some possess K antigens
Subgroups A, B, C and D
Enterobacteriaceae III:
Salmonella
Inhabits in intestine
Classified using Kauffmann-
White Scheme.
Salmonella possess :
Flagellar H-heat labile
protein
O- phospholipid-protein-
polysaccharide complex
Vi-surface polysaccharide
antgen enveloping O antigen
Vibrio
Gram negative,curved
bacteria, actively motile
Common flagellar antigen(H)-
group A and group B.
Based on major somatic O
antigen, group A vibrios-
agglutinable and non
agglutinable.(agglutination by
O-1 antiserum)
Based on minor surface
antigenic group-
Ogawa,Inaba,Hikojima
 SEROLOGICAL TESTS

• These are done for diagnostic purposes when an

infection is suspected.
• They include agglutination,
precipitation,ELISA,complement fixation, fluorescent
antibodies and chemoluminescent.
 REFERENCES

• Textbook of Microbiology, Ananthanarayanan

and Panicker’s
• https://www.ncbi.nlm.gov
• www.mic.microbiologyresearch.org.micro
• www.jstor.org