SEROVAR

(Redirected from Serotype)
A 'serovar' or 'serotype' is a grouping of microorganisms or viruses based on their cell surface antigens. Serovars allow organisms to be classified at the sub-species level; an issue of particular importance in epidemiology. Classification. ''In:'' Baron's Medical Microbiology ''(Baron S ''et al'', eds.), Baron EJ, , , Univ of Texas Medical Branch, 1996, (via NCBI Bookshelf) ISBN 0-9631172-1-1
Serovars may be established based on virulence factors, lipopolysaccharides in Gram-negative bacteria, presence of an exotoxin (pertussis toxin in Bordetella pertussis, for example), plasmids, phages, or other characteristics which differentiate two members of the same species. Sherris Medical Microbiology, Ryan KJ; Ray CG (editors), , , McGraw Hill, 2004, ISBN 0-8385-8529-9
''Salmonella'', for example, has over 4400 serovars: ''Salmonella enterica'' Serovar Typhimurium, ''S. enterica'' Serovar Typhi, and ''S. enterica'' Serovar Dublin, to name a few.
Vibrio cholerae, which causes cholera, has 139 serotypes, based on cell antigens. Only two of them produce an enterotoxin and are pathogens: 0:1 and 0:139.
Serotypes were discovered by the American microbiologist Rebecca Lancefield in 1933. A serological differentiation of human and other groups of hemolytic streptococci., Lancefield RC, , , J Exp Med, 1933

Contents

See Also

References

See Also

★ Biovar

References