Chapter 43, Problem 1Q

What was the antiserum used in this experiment?

Summary Introduction

To fill:

Patient's serum

Introduction:

Agglutination is the phenomenon by which the antibody gets clumped to the antigenic components like flagellum, cell walls or capsules that are found on the cells of the bacterium. An unknown bacterium is usually mixed in saline and taken in a slide and antiserum containing known antibodies is added. Agglutination happens if the antibodies encounter antigens of the same species or strains as that of the antibody.

Answer to Problem 1Q

The patients serum is the antiserum used in this experiment.

Explanation of Solution

In the experiment, initially patient's serum is mixed with saline and wells are labeled and then dilutions of the antiserum( patient's serum) is made .Then to it antigen was added .The endpoint or the titer is the highest dilution in which clumping has taken place clearly. The patient's serum contains antibodies to the Salmonella entericaTyphimurium if clumping is detected. If there is no clumping or agglutination ,then there are no antibodies to the above mentioned bacterium. This forms the basis for Widal test or test for diagnosis of Typhoid fever.