Agglutination of bacteria - Thesis Proposal Example

The bacterial typing tests are based on serology and they rely on antibodies that recognize given specific bacterial strain. Antibodies are proteins and they are secreted by plasma B cells. B lymphocytes are white blood cells which respond to antigen epitopes and after antigen recognition they differentiate into plasma B cells and secrete antibodies which recognize specific antigen epitopes. The antibodies have at least two binding sites and they non-covalently bind with specific antigen epitopes (Burry).

Agglutination reactions can be described as direct or passive assays. Direct assays involve interaction of antibody or lectin with cellular antigen and example for direct assays is bacterial agglutination which are used to type strains of bacteria and to diagnose infection. For agglutination between antigen and antibody, the antibody and antigen epitope must be combined in the proper proportions and it is called zone of equivalence. During agglutination, the antibody molecules bind to epitopes on two or more antigens and form a “cross-linked network” (Bacterial Agglutination Protocol 6).

If the number of antigen and antibody is more, the mass of agglutination becomes visible to naked eye in the form of clumps. Bacterial agglutination is the serological identification of bacteria. Apart from the specific antigen antibody reaction, there are other substances which lead to agglutination of bacteria. Certain chemical and physical properties of the medium in which the organism is suspended influence the degree of dispersion of the cells like in acid agglutination. Some “variant” forms of bacteria are also seen to agglutinate on addition of electrolytes (Shrigley).

Gram positive bacteria like Staphylococcus aureus is the causative agent of wide range of acute and chronic infections including bacteremia. Staphylococcus bacteremia can lead to sepsis and