Polyvalent Salmonella "H" Agglutination as a Rapid Screening Test for Salmonella Organisms

Abstract

In the diagnostic laboratory, definitive identification of the Salmonelleae is often a time-consuming and laborious procedure. As a primary means of eliminating many confusing gram-negative nonsporeforming bacilli derived from the contents of the intestinal tract, a triple-sugar-iron (TSI) agar medium was introduced in 1945 (1) and by its use lactose-sucrose fermenting organisms are easily recognized and discarded. Even so, there often remain a considerable number of motile, non-lactose-sucrose fermenting, urease-test negative cultures resembling Salmonelleae which need further study before their significance can be evaluated. This often necessitates protracted culturing in lactose and sucrose broths supplemented by complete antigenic analysis, using the technique of Edwards and Bruner (2) or the simplified method of Kauffmiann and Edwards (s). It is obvious, therefore, that serological typing (either simplified or complete) of organisms suspected of belonging to the genus Salmonella is both tedious and expensive and is a procedure which most laboratories doing routine diagnostic work are not in a position to carry out. Since most Salmronellas are motile, consideration was given to the Agglutinabilisy of Salmonella-like organisms in Edwards' polyvalent Salmonella serum