Kauffman–White classification
Microbiological classification system for genus Salmonella
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- Salmonella (species) serotype (O antigen) : (H1 antigen) : (H2 antigen)
- Examples
Salmonella enterica serotype Typhimurium 1,4,5,12:i:1,2
monophasic variant of Salmonella Typhimurium 1,4,5,12:i:-
- Antigens in brackets are those that are rarely expressed in that serovar.
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Representative stock of antisera
The cost of maintaining a full set of antisera precludes all but reference laboratories from performing a complete serological identification of salmonella isolates. Most laboratories stock only a limited range of antisera, and the choice of stock sera is largely determined by the nature of the specimens to be processed.
A common set of working antisera is shown below:
Laboratories that are likely to investigate typhoid also carry antiserum raised against the Vi antigen.
A set of "Rapid Diagnostic Sera" is also held and is used for determination of common specific H-antigens except i-H. After obtaining a positive agglutination with the polyvalent-H specific and non-specific antiserum, the three RDS antisera are used to identify the H antigen present. Depending on the pattern of positive and negative reactions with the RDS antisera, the specific H antigen may be identified:
E = polyvalent for eh, enx, etc.
G = polyvalent for gm, gp, etc.
L = polyvalent for lv, lw, etc.
Nonserological correlates
Instead of antibody-based serotyping, modern laborotories increasingly use DNA-based methods such as pulsed field gel electrophoresis, multiple-loci VNTR analysis, multilocus sequence typing, and multiplex-PCR. These "molecular serotyping" systems actually perform genotyping of the genes that determine surface antigens. They largely agree with the Kauffman-White results, allowing the system to continue to be used.
Connection of O and H symbols to the work of Weil and Felix
This use of the O and H symbols is based on the historic observations of Edmund Weil (1879–1922) and Arthur Felix (1887–1956) of a thin surface film produced by agar-grown flagellated Proteus strains, a film that resembled the mist produced by breath on a glass. Flagellated (swarming, motile) variants were therefore designated H forms (German Hauch, for film, literally breath or mist); nonflagellated (nonswarming, nonmotile) variants growing as isolated colonies and lacking the surface film were designated as O forms (German ohne Hauch, without film [i.e., without surface film of mist droplets]).