STUDIES ON ENTEROPATHOGENIC FACULTATIVELY HALOPHILIC BACTERIA VIBRIO PARAHAEMOLYTICUS .2. SEROLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS

1. A total of 2720 cultures of Vibrio parahaemolyticus isolated from human patients was studied serologically. By agglutination and agglutinin-absorption tests, eleven O groups and 47 K antigens, of which 6 were omitted from the antigenic schema, were designated. 2. Since it was confirmed that all cultures of the species possess a common H antigen, the antigenic formula of serotypes was designated with a combination of O and K antigens. 3. In some K antigen, quantitative variation of partial antigens was recognized, and the designation of these partial K antigens was omitted from the antigenic schema to simplify it. 4. An antigenic schema was set up for 41 serotypes of the vibrio. 5. Additional 650 cultures isolated from sea fish and sea water were tested with the eleven O and 41 K antisera. The occurrence of individual serotypes in human cultures and cultures from sea fish and sea water was compared. 6. Methods of a diagnosis of serotypes are discussed. © 1968, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Japanese Journal of Infectious Diseases Editorial Committee. All rights reserved.