Serotype

Serotype or serovar refers to the distinct variation within a species of bacteria or viruses or among immune cells of different individuals. These microorganisms, viruses, or cells are classified together based on their cell surface antigens, allowing the epidemiologic classification of organisms to the subspecies level. A group of serovars with common antigens is called a serogroup or sometimes serocomplex.

Serotyping

Serotyping is the process of identifying serotypes by using their serological properties. In the laboratory, this can be done using the Quellung reaction, agglutination, or by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Serotyping can be used in microbial forensics to track the source of outbreaks, or in epidemiology to track the spread of disease.

Serotypes and disease

Different serotypes can cause different diseases, and can cause different severity of the same disease. For example, the meningococcal meningitis bacterium Neisseria meningitidis has 12 serogroups, six of which (A, B, C, W, X, Y) can cause epidemics.

Serotype replacement

Serotype replacement is a phenomenon where a decrease in infections caused by a serotype of a microorganism (due to vaccination, for example) is accompanied by an increase in infections caused by serotypes not included in the vaccine.

See also

• Serogroup
• Serovar
• Quellung reaction
• Agglutination (biology)
• Polymerase chain reaction
• Meningococcal meningitis
• Neisseria meningitidis
• Serotype replacement

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