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Capsular Serotyping of Streptococcus pneumoniae Using the Quellung Reaction
Published on: February 24, 2014
THE STANDARDIZATION OF ANTIPNEUMOCOCCIC SERUM TYPES I AND II.
1Mulford Biological Laboratories, Sharp and Dohme, Inc., Glenolden, Pennsylvania.
The Journal of Experimental Medicine
|October 30, 2009
Summary
The mouse protection test for pneumococcal serum is unreliable. A specific polysaccharide precipitation test offers a more dependable method for standardizing anti-pneumococcic serum, even with less pure polysaccharide.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Microbiology
- Biochemistry
Background:
- Standardization of anti-pneumococcic serum is crucial for effective treatment.
- The mouse protection test has been the traditional method for serum standardization.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the reliability of the mouse protection test for anti-pneumococcic serum.
- To explore alternative methods for standardizing anti-pneumococcic serum Type I and II.
Main Methods:
- Comparison of the mouse protection test with a specific polysaccharide precipitation test.
- Assessment of serum standardization using varying purities of polysaccharide.
Main Results:
- The mouse protection test demonstrated significant unreliability for standardizing anti-pneumococcic serum.
- The polysaccharide precipitation test proved effective in determining the comparative value of test serums against a standard.
- High purity of polysaccharide is not essential for the precipitation test's efficacy.
Conclusions:
- The polysaccharide precipitation test is a more reliable method for standardizing anti-pneumococcic serum than the mouse protection test.
- This precipitation test allows for accurate comparative value assessment of serums.
- The findings suggest a more accessible and robust approach to serum standardization.
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