[A comparative study between the use of the Spicer-Edwards method and the coagglutination reaction for identifying...

A comparative study between tube agglutination using Spicer-Edwards antisera and a coagglutination method using Staphylococcus aureus Cowan 1 (NCTC 8530) protein A to detect Salmonella flagellar antigens was carried out. A total of 39 Salmonella strains belonging to eight serogroups of the Kauffmann-White scheme were typed by both methods. Each serogroup include monophasic and biphasic strains. Statistical analysis of the results showed that the coagglutination method was more sensitive and specific that the classic tube agglutination method normally used in different laboratories. The use of less antiserum in the coagglutination method to detect Salmonella antigens without loss of specificity or sensitivity represents an important saving for clinical laboratories and for epidemiologic research that require the identification of these antigens.