Spore antigens of Clostridium sporogenes

By means of spore-agglutination of fluorescent-antibody techniques, three serological types were identified among 84 strains of Clostridium sporogenes. Four spore antigens were identified, designated A, B, C and D. A, B and C were specific for the respective types whilst D was a group antigen shared by strains of the three types. The spore antigens had corresponding somatic antigens; the type-specific somatic antigens were designated I, II, III, and the shared somatic antigen IV. The flagellar antigens were found to be type specific and were designated 1, 2 and 3; no common flagellar antigen was detected. The results of precipitation tests with spore extracts depended on the method of testing. By a capillary-tube ring method there were cross reactions among the three types of C. sporogenes, whilst by immunodiffusion in agar layers the reactions were generally type specific. In a disintegrated spore extract, two non-protein antigenic components, possibly polysaccharide, were detected by means of immunoelectrophoresis. This extract showed cross reaction with antisera to strains of all types of all types of C. sporogenes by the ring test and by immunodiffusion.