Search PubMed⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search PubMed

Results for “serotype”

Search indexed PubMed citations on genomics, clinical trials, systematic reviews and public health. Explore titles, authors and supplied subject terms, then open the PubMed record.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 865 records · Page 48Linked to original sources
PubMed1982

Epidemiological value of lipopolysaccharide and heat-modifiable outer-membrane protein serotyping of group-A strains of Neisseria meningitidis.

The lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and heat-modifiable outer-membrane protein (P') serotypes of 39 coded strains of group-A Neisseria meningitidis isolated from patients during seven geographically and temporally separate outbreaks of infection were determined blindly. LPS serotype discriminated between strains from different outbreaks and between strains of differing sulphadiazine sensitivity within a single outbreak. Thirty-seven strains were of three separate serotypes and no strain was of multiple serotypes. In contrast, P' serotypes did not discriminate between strains. Multiple serotypes for single strains and among strains from a single outbreak were the rule. LPS serotyping appears to be a useful epidemiological tool for distinguishing group-A strains of N. meningitidis.

Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins↗
PubMed1996

IgA and IgG antibodies to distinct serotypes of Mycobacterium avium in HIV seropositivity and AIDS.

IgA and IgG antibodies to cytoplasmic and secreted antigens of serotypes 4 and 8 of Mycobacterium avium and the percentage of agalactosyl immunoglobulin (%Gal[0]) were measured by ELISA in groups of blood donors, HIV seronegative persons, HIV seropositive persons with CD4+ cell counts >300/mm3 and AIDS patients co-infected with M.avium. No differences were found between the control groups, but HIV seropositive persons were distinguished by their increased %Gal[0] (p<0.001) and increased IgA titre (p<0.05) to secreted antigens of both serotypes of M. avium. Patients going on to develop aviumosis differed from other HIV-positive individuals, having more IgA to secreted antigens of serotype 8 (p<0.03) and more IgG to secreted antigens of both serotypes (p<0.0001), IgA titres fell to both types of antigen from serotype 4 (p<0.01) and sonicate antigen of serotype 8 (p<0.001) and IgG fell to the secreted antigens of serotype 4 (p<0.03). On interpretation of these observations that antibody profiles to M. avium might be used to identify healthy persons at special risk of developing HIV seropositivity, and to identify persons with early AIDS who are likely to develop aviumosis.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗
PubMed1996

Antibody response in rabbits to serotype-specific determinants in lipopolysaccharides from Moraxella catarrhalis.

Antibodies against the serotype determinant epitopes of Moraxella catarrhalis lipopolysaccharides (LPS) were demonstrated in sera from rabbits immunised with whole bacterial cells. Purified LPS preparations from eight strains of M. catarrhalis were used as antigens in enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) and immunoblotting. The serotype specificity of the antibodies was shown by neutralisation with LPS and with purified polysaccharide obtained from LPS prepared from strains belonging to different serotypes. In immunoblots, antisera against the A and B LPS serotypes reacted only with LPS of its own type, confirming the presence of type-specific antibodies. A weak band was observed with type A LPS and antibody to type C, indicating cross-reactivity between the A and C serotypes. This cross-reaction can be explained on the basis of the known chemical structure of the LPS of the different serotypes. After heterologous absorption of sera, bands were obtained with homologous LPS antigen. These results suggest that the predominant antibody response in rabbits to LPS from M. catarrhalis is serotype-specific, unlike that previously observed in infected human patients.

Animals↗
PubMed2005

Simultaneous detection and serotype identification of Streptococcus agalactiae using multiplex PCR and reverse line blot hybridization.

Streptococcus agalactiae (group B streptococcus, GBS) is an important cause of sepsis in neonates and their mothers, and the elderly and immunocompromised patients. Ongoing surveillance to monitor GBS serotype distribution is needed to guide the development and assess the feasibility of GBS conjugate vaccines. The authors previously developed a molecular serotype identification method based on serotype-specific PCR and partial sequencing of cps genes. In this study, a novel 10-primer pair multiplex PCR and reverse line blot (mPCR/RLB) hybridization assay was developed for simultaneous detection and serotype identification of all nine GBS serotypes. For all 316 GBS isolates tested the mPCR/RLB results corresponded with those of conventional serotyping and individual serotype-specific PCR, and the method was more convenient and practical than either alternative.

Base Sequence↗
PubMed2006

Monoclonal antibodies binding to the cell surface of Listeria monocytogenes serotype 4b.

Serotype 4b strains of the food-borne pathogen Listeria monocytogenes are responsible for a large portion of sporadic listeric infections and all major food-borne listeriosis outbreaks in humans. Hybridomas were produced from three fusions with lymphocytes of ND4 mice immunized either with the insoluble antigens of L. monocytogenes serotype 4b or with formalin-killed bacterial cells and screened for monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) reactive to L. monocytogenes serotype 4b. A set of 35 mAbs was identified by ELISA as having reactivity with both the insoluble antigen fraction and the whole-cell antigens. Thirteen of these mAbs belonged to immunoglobulin subclass G1 (IgG1), fifteen were IgG2a and seven mAbs were IgM. Only 20 out of the 35 mAbs were capable of detecting protein bands of various sizes ranging from 20 to 88 kDa in Western blots. Two of these mAbs, M2365 and M2367, were capable of binding to cell-surface antigens of live L. monocytogenes serotype 4b, as demonstrated by immunofluorescence microscopy and immunogold transmission electron microscopy. Immunofluorescence microscopy showed that M2365 and M2367 failed to bind to the cell surfaces of Escherichia coli O157 : H7, Salmonella enterica (serotype Typhimurium DT104) or Campylobacter jejuni. Evaluation of the cross-reactions of all 35 mAbs with whole-cell antigens of E. coli O157 : H7, S. Typhimurium, C. jejuni and Listeria innocua by ELISA indicated that the majority of the mAbs, including M2365 and M2367, did not cross-react with E. coli O157 : H7, S. Typhimurium or C. jejuni and showed no or a very weak reaction with L. innocua. Furthermore, M2365 and M2367 showed no reaction with whole-cell antigens derived from L. monocytogenes serotypes 1/2a, 1/2b and 3a, and from Listeria grayi, Listeria ivanovii and Listeria seeligeri, in an ELISA. Collectively, these data suggest that M2365 and M2367 have potential use in the development of immunological methods of laboratory diagnosis for L. monocytogenes serotype 4b in clinical or food samples.

Animals↗
PubMed1984

Immunochemical characteristics of Streptococcus mutans serotype h carbohydrate antigen.

Serotype h carbohydrate antigen was prepared from cell walls of Streptococcus mutans strain MFe28 of monkey origin. The h antigen was extracted from the cell walls with 5% trichloracetic acid at 4 C, and purified by DEAE-Sephadex A-25 ion exchange chromatography followed by Sephacryl S-300 gel filtration. The purified antigen was composed of galactose (75%), glucose (16%), and rhamnose (3%). Although the antiserum against whole cells of S. mutans MFe28 gave a strong cross reaction with serotype d S. mutans, serotype h-specific antiserum could be obtained by adequate adsorption. The precipitin reactions and hapten inhibition test using serotype h-specific antiserum showed that galactose, glucose, and their derivative sugars were markedly potent inhibitors. It was concluded that the serotype h antigen is immunologically distinguishable from the known serotypes of S. mutans, although it is closely related to serotype d antigen of S. mutans.

Antigens, Bacterial↗
PubMed1996

Comparison of OspA serotypes for Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato from Japan, Europe and North America.

UNLABELLED: Sixty-one Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato strains from various sources (ticks, human, and wild animals) in Japan and two strains from ticks in Far Eastern Russia were classified on the basis of reactivity with 16 monoclonal antibodies (mAb) to outer surface protein A (OspA) and by DNA-DNA hybridization assay. Eleven OspA serotypes (J1 to J11) were recognized among the Japanese and the Far East Russian isolates (serotypes J1 to J9 were identified as B. garinii, serotype J10 was identified as B. afzelii, and serotype J11 corresponded to B. japonica), whereas 7 OspA serotypes for North American and European isolates previously reported (Bettina Wilske et al, J. Clin. Microbiol. 31:340-350,1993) were not observed except for OspA serotype 2 which showed identical reactivity with OspA serotype J10. This finding provides helpful information for understanding the geographical distribution of Lyme disease borrelia and the development of vaccine and diagnostic tests. IN CONCLUSION: 1.B. burgdorferi sensu stricto has not been observed in Japan, 2. Japanese B. afzelii isolates are closely related to those from Europe, 3. B. garinii isolates from Japan are highly heterogeneous and apparently different from European B. garinii isolates.

Animals↗
PubMed2006

Serotype distribution and antibiotic susceptibility of invasive and nasopharyngeal isolates of Streptococcus pneumoniae among children in rural Mozambique.

OBJECTIVE: To describe and compare serotype distribution and antibiotic susceptibility of invasive and nasopharyngeal isolates of Streptococcus pneumoniae from children in rural Mozambique. METHODS: From August 2002 to July 2003, we prospectively obtained invasive pneumococcal isolates from children <15 years of age admitted to the paediatric ward of Manhiça District Hospital. During a cross-sectional study of children <5 years of age with mild illnesses, attending the outpatient department of the hospital in March and April 2003, we collected nasopharyngeal isolates. Serotypes and antibiotic susceptibilities were determined using standardized methods. RESULTS: The two most common pneumococcal serotypes among invasive isolates were types 1 (40% of 88 isolates serotyped) and 5 (10%), but these types were rare among nasopharyngeal isolates. Compared with invasive isolates, nasopharyngeal isolates were more likely to be serotypes in the licensed seven-valent conjugate vaccine (49%vs. 20%, P < 0.01), to have intermediate-level penicillin resistance (52%vs. 14%, P < 0.01) and to be non-susceptible to trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (61%vs. 45%, P < 0.01). Recent receipt of antibiotics or sulfadoxine/pyrimethamine were associated with carriage of antibiotic non-susceptible isolates. CONCLUSIONS: These data indicate that a pneumococcal conjugate vaccine containing serotypes 1 and 5 could substantially reduce pneumococcal invasive disease among young children in rural Mozambique. Carriage surveys can overestimate potential coverage of the seven-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine in settings where serotypes 1 and 5 predominate.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2006

Serotype and antimicrobial susceptibility patterns of isolates of Streptococcus pneumoniae causing invasive disease in The Gambia 1996-2003.

OBJECTIVES: To describe the characteristics of pneumococcal isolates obtained from patients with invasive pneumococcal disease in The Gambia. METHODS: Pneumococcal isolates were obtained from children aged < or =6 years with invasive pneumococcal disease during a Haemophilus influenzae vaccine effectiveness study (1997-2002) and from patients with invasive pneumococcal disease admitted to the MRC hospital, Fajara, for routine care (1996-2003). Isolates were identified, serotyped and tested for antibiotic susceptibility. RESULTS: Five hundred and thirty one pneumococcal isolates were obtained from 518 patients; 55 (10.6%) patients died; 415 isolates (79%) were from blood culture, 84 (16%) from CSF, and 42 (8%) from lung aspirates. Forty serogroups and serotypes were identified; six accounted for 64% and 16 for 86% of all episodes; 33.7% were of serotypes 1 and 5. 23.5% were of a 7-valent vaccine serotype, 57.1% were of a 9-valent vaccine serotype; 56% were of a 7-valent serogroup and 78% were of a 9-valent serogroup. There was a significant increase in the proportion of isolates of non-vaccine serogroup with increasing age (P < 0.0001). Antibiotic resistance had not significantly increased over time; but intermediate non-susceptibility to penicillin had risen and resistance to chloramphenicol had fallen in isolates of vaccine serotype compared with those of non-vaccine serotype. CONCLUSIONS: The majority of invasive pneumococcal disease in The Gambia is caused by pneumococci of relatively few serogroups. A conjugate vaccine would be expected to reduce the pneumococcal disease burden substantially and to have a beneficial effect on pneumococcal antibiotic resistance to penicillins.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1996

Structures of the antigenic O-polysaccharides of lipopolysaccharides produced by Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans serotypes a, c, d and e.

Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans is a gram-negative capnophilic coccobacillus that has been implicated in the etiology of certain forms of early-onset periodontitis as well as non-oral infections, mostly bacterial endocarditis. Five distinct serotypes of A. actinomycetemcomitans have been described. Although the O-polysaccharide (O-PS) of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) has been shown to define the serologic specificity for this species, only the structure of the O-PS of serotype b has been characterized. The focus of the current study was to define the structures of the O-PS of A. actinomycetemcomitans serotypes a, c, d and e. Structure determination was accomplished through the use of methylation, periodate oxidation, and one-dimensional and two-dimensional NMR methods. The O-PS of A. actinomycetemcomitans (OMZ-542) serotype d had [alpha]D +15 degrees and was composed of D-glucose, D-mannose and L-rhamnose (L-Rha) in a molar ratio of 1:2:1. Methylation, periodate oxidation, and two-dimensional 1H-NMR and 13C-NMR studies showed that the antigenic O-PS was a high-molecular-mass polymer composed of repeating tetrasaccharide units with the structure: [formula: see text] The O-PS of the LPS produced by A. actinomycetemcomitans (ATCC 29523) serotype a had [alpha]D +150 degrees and was found to contain 6-deoxy-D-talose (6dTalp) and O-acetyl (2:1) and was a high-molecular-mass polymer composed of O-acetyl-substituted repeating disaccharide units with the structure: [formula: see text] The O-PS of the LPS of A. actinomycetemcomitans (SUNY 67) serotype c had [alpha]D -170 degrees and was composed of 6-deoxy-L-talose and O-acetyl (2:1). Structural analysis showed that the O-PS was a high-molecular-mass polymer of repeating disaccharide units with the structure: [formula: see text] The O-PS of the LPS of A. actinomycetemcomitans (OMZ 534) serotype e had [alpha]D +57 degrees and was composed of 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-D-glucose and L-rhamnose (1:1) and by chemical and NMR analysis was found to be a polymer of repeating disaccharide units with the structure: -->4)-alpha-D-GlcpNAc-(1-->3)-alpha-L-Rhap-(1-->.

Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Increased prevalence of oral Candida albicans serotype B in homosexual men: a comparative and longitudinal study in HIV-infected and HIV-negative patients.

Several investigators have shown a comparatively high prevalence of Candida albicans serotype B among HIV-infected individuals. We serotyped oral C. albicans strains from 50 HIV-infected homosexual men, 39 HIV-seronegative homosexual men and 40 clinical oral isolates of a control group. The prevalence of serotype B was significantly higher in homosexual men, regardless of HIV serostatus, than in the control subjects. We suggest that the reported high prevalence of serotype B among AIDS patients in Europe and the USA simply reflects the high proportion of homosexual men among HIV-infected patients. In 22 subjects, oral C. albicans isolates were obtained at two or more time points, up to 8 years apart. No change in serotype was observed over time. The serotype prevalences in HIV-infected patients with oral thrush or AIDS-defining illness were similar to the group of homosexual men as a whole, indicating that there is no serotype-related variation in pathogenicity.

AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections↗
PubMed2004

Diversity of Listeria monocytogenes isolates of human and food origin studied by serotyping, automated ribotyping and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis.

Automated ribotyping, pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) and serotyping were evaluated for the epidemiological study of isolates of Listeria monocytogenes collected in Finland in 1997-1999 from human blood (n = 116) and the food industry (n = 72). The isolates divided into six serotypes, 23 EcoRI ribotypes, 54 AscI PFGE types, and 57 final subtypes if all results were combined. The discrimination index of ribotyping was lower (0.873) than that of PFGE (0.946). Two final subtypes dominated among human isolates, and identical subtypes were also found among food industry isolates. All PFGE types were serotype-specific, whereas two ribotypes included isolates of two serotypes. Isolates of serotype 3a, involved in an outbreak in Finland in 1999, matched one of these ribotypes, which also included some food industry isolates of serotype 1/2a. Ribotyping with EcoRI would not have been sufficient to define the outbreak in Finland caused by serotype 3a isolates. Although ribotyping is applicable as the first method in outbreak situations, human and food isolates with identical ribotypes should be investigated further by PFGE.

Animals↗
PubMed2000

Heterogeneity in the immune response to serotype b LPS of Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans in inbred strains of mice.

We investigated the heterogeneity of the humoral immune responses to whole cells and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) of Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans serotype b and production of cytokines in inbred strains of mice. Nine such strains were tested: A/J (H-2(a)), C57BL/6 (H-2(b)), BALB/c (H-2(d)), DBA/2 (H-2(d)), B10.BR (H-2(k)), C3H/He (H-2(k)), C3H/HeJ (H-2(k)), DBA/1 (H-2(q)) and B10.S (H-2(s)). Mice were immunized intraperitoneally with whole cells of A. actinomycetemcomitans ATCC 43718 (serotype b) in phosphate buffered saline (PBS; pH 7.2) emulsified with an equal volume of Freund's incomplete adjuvant. Serum immunoglobulin G (IgG), immunoglobulin A (IgA) and immunoglobulin M (IgM) levels against A. actinomycetemcomitans were measured by an ELISA system. ELISA analysis, using LPS fractions from serotype a, b or c strains of A. actinomycetemcomitans as the coating antigens, revealed that mice strains C3H/He, C3H/HeJ, B10.BR and B10.S had an extremely high-IgM response against serotype b LPS. High-IgM titer sera contain also elevated levels of IgA antibodies to the antigen. To compare the cytokine production among inbred mice, the amounts of interleukin-4 (IL-4), interleukin-5 (IL-5), and interleukin-6 (IL-6) released from mouse splenocytes were measured using ELISA systems specific for these cytokines. A. actinomycetemcomitans serotype b LPS stimulation induced IL-6 release from murine splenocytes of all tested strains. However, IL-4 and IL-5 were detected only in high-IgM/IgA responders to A. actinomycetemcomitans serotype b LPS, not in low-IgM/IgA responders. Thus, we found a relationship between the humoral immune response to LPS of A. actinomycetemcomitans serotype b and production of type 2 cytokines by splenocytes.

Actinobacillus Infections↗
PubMed1998

Chromosome sizes and phylogenetic relationships between serotypes of Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae.

The genome size of Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae was determined by pulsed field gel electrophoresis of AscI and ApaI digested chromosomal DNA. The genome size of the type strain 4074T (serotype 1) was determined to be 2404 +/- 40 kb. The chromosome sizes for the reference strains of the other serotypes range between 2.3 and 2.4 Mb. The restriction pattern profiles of AscI, ApaI and NheI digested chromosomes showed a high degree of polymorphism among the different serotype reference strains and allowed their discrimination. The analysis of the macrorestriction pattern polymorphism revealed phylogenetic relationships between the different serotype reference strains which reflect to some extent groups of serotypes known to cross-react serologically. In addition, different pulsed fields gel electrophoresis patterns also revealed heterogeneity in the chromosomal structure among different field strains of serotypes 1, 5a, and 5b, while strains of serotype 9 originating from most distant geographical places showed homogeneous ApaI patterns in pulsed field gel electrophoresis.

Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae↗
PubMed1994

[Formation of drug-induced serotype variants of Pseudomonas aeruginosa: changes in biochemical properties, drug susceptibility and outer membrane proteins].

The serotype variants were formed in some isolates of Pseudomonas aeruginosa in the presence of anti-pseudomonal drugs in vitro. Pyocin type, various biochemical properties and drug susceptibility of these variants were compared with those of the parent cells. Furthermore, the patterns of outer membrane proteins were also examined for some respective parent and variant cells by the SDS-PAGE and compared with their drug susceptibilities. In P. aeruginosa No. 1-S (serotype E) and No. 1-R (serotype C), simultaneously isolated from the identical specimen of the infectious patient, the serotype variants were formed by anti-pseudomonal drugs and accompanied by changes in pyocin types, some biochemical properties and susceptibilities to various kinds of anti-pseudomonal drugs. When the profiles of outer membrane proteins of P. aeruginosa No. 1-R parent and two variant cells were evaluated by the SDS-PAGE, the quantitative differences of the porin proteins between the parent and variant cells were well related to their drug susceptibilities. Although eight variant cells with other serotype were formed from the parent cells (serotype A) of P. aeruginosa No. 13, four variants with serotype M and one non-typable variant showed changes in drug susceptibility such as resistance to imipenem only and no changes in biochemical properties. On the other hand, three other variants showed marked changes in two kinds of biochemical properties and in susceptibilities to various kinds of anti-pseudomonal drugs. From the results of SDS-PAGE, it was found that the porin protein profiles of outer membranes of these parent and variant cells except a few cells which corresponded to their drug susceptibility.

Anti-Bacterial Agents↗
PubMed2004

[A basic study of Vibrio vulnificus infection: serotyping and drug sensitivity test of environment-derived strains and human clinical isolates].

In attempt to elucidate the route and source of Vibrio vulnificus infection. serotyping and drug sensitivity tests of environment-derived strains and human clinical isolates were performed. 1) Serotyping of isolates from the two types of source were determined. Of environment-derived strains, 72.5% were classified into 18 types, and O7 was the most frequent type, accounting for 73.1%, and the second frequent type was O4, accounting for 6.1%. Of human clinical isolates, 87.1% were classified into eight types, and O4 was the most frequent, accounting for 73.5%, and O7 was the secondly most frequent, accounting for 12.9%. 2) Serotypes were investigated by regions. In eastern Japan, 69.2% were classified into 18 types, and O7 and O4 accounting for 44.6% and 5.7%, respectively. In western Japan, 64.8% were classified into eight types, and O7 was the most frequent, accounting for 20.4%, and secondly frequent type was O4, accounting for 11.1%. 3) Regarding the relationship between biotypes and serotypes, environment-derived biotype-I strains were widely distributed in the serotypes, but most biotype-I human clinical isolates were distributed in serotypes O1-O7, showing a difference between the two types of sources. However, many biotype-II strains from the two types of sources included in the serotype O7 group. 4) Drug sensitivity was compared based on MIC90 between strains from the two types of sources. Environment-derived strains were sensitive to ABPC, PIPC, CPZ, CTX, LMOX, MEPM, GM, EM, TC, DOXY, MINO, CP, NA and CPFX, but some strains were resistant to CER, CET, CTX, CMZ, KM and LCM. Human clinical isolates were sensitive to EM, TC, DOXY, MINO, CP, NA and CPFX, but some strains were resistant to ABPC, PIPC, CER, CET, CPZ, CTX, CMZ, LMOX, MEPM, KM, GM, AMK and LCM.

Bacterial Typing Techniques↗
PubMed1985

Serotyping of Campylobacter jejuni, Campylobacter coli, and Campylobacter laridis from domestic and wild animals.

By using 50 unabsorbed antisera, we were able to serotype 272 (65.7%) of 414 thermotolerant campylobacters from wild and domestic animals, on the basis of heat-stable antigens identified by means of passive hemagglutination. Forty-two serotypes were recognized. The pattern of serotypes detected in the various animal species was compared to human clinical isolates by using the Czekanowski index (proportional similarity index). The highest degree of similarity to the clinical isolates was observed for the poultry isolates, followed by strains from wild birds, flies, and pigs (in order of decreasing similarity). The serotypes recovered most frequently from poultry (LAU 1 and LAU 2) were also most prevalent in Norwegian patients. In contrast, serotype LAU 35/44, the predominant porcine serotype, was never recovered from human clinical specimens. Flies captured in chicken farms and in piggeries harbored serotypes which were also commonly seen in chickens and pigs, respectively. Nine of the strains included in this study could not be ascribed to any defined species. All of these were resistant to nalidixic acid and did not produce H2S.

Animal Population Groups↗
PubMed1995

Analysis of antigens present in the extracellular products and cell surface of Vibrio anguillarum serotypes O1, O2, and O3.

Antigens present in the extracellular products (ECP) and cell walls of strains of Vibrio anguillarum of serotypes O1, O2, and O3 isolated from different fish species in distinct geographic areas were characterized. The usefulness of slide agglutination, dot blot assay, and quantitative agglutination for subtyping V. anguillarum serovars was also evaluated. The three serological assays used to establish the serogroups within V. anguillarum isolates demonstrated that serotype O1 constitutes a homogeneous group, whereas within serotypes O2 and O3, two different patterns of serological reactions were detected. Among the three serological methods used, only dot blot and quantitative agglutination assays differentiated subgroups within serotypes O2 and O3 with unabsorbed sera. Electrophoretic analysis and immunoblot assays of cell envelope and ECP components showed that strains belonging to serotype O1 possessed immunologically related lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and proteins, while V. anguillarum isolates grouped in serotypes O2 and O3 exhibited internal heterogeneity in their LPS and protein banding patterns. On the other hand, although the LPS present in the ECP and those obtained from cell envelopes of V. anguillarum strains showed apparently different gel patterns, a strong relationship between both types of LPS was seen by immunoblot assay. From these results, it can be concluded that V. anguillarum strains representative of each of the antigenic groups (O1, O2 alpha, O2 beta, O3A, and O3B) and their ECPs should be included in the formulation of vaccines against vibriosis in areas where the three serotypes coexist.

Animals↗