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Infect Immun. 1971 September; 4(3): 189-193
Copyright © 1971 American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Clinical Application of Immunofluorescence III. Identification of Lancefield Group B Streptococci

Institute of Hygiene and Medical Microbiology, Technical University of Munich, 8 Munich 80, West Germany

ABSTRACT

The identification of Lancefield group B streptococci with immunofluorescence was studied after significant differences between the precipitin and immunofluorescent results were noted. It was found that strains of group B streptococci, unlike groups A, C, and G streptococci, do not reliably react with a fluorescein isothiocyanate-labeled conjugate that contains antibodies mainly against C polysaccharide. It was assumed that the difficulty probably resulted from a blocking of the antigen-antibody reaction between the group antigen and its antibody by the S antigen located in the capsule. On the basis of this assumption, a conjugate was prepared that contained antibodies against the various S antigens of group B and it was found to be effective.