title: Agglutination with O antisera of salmonella exposed to antibiotics.
abstract: Five strains of Salmonella were grown on agar containing subinhibitory concentrations of ampicillin, gentamicin, tetracycline, or chloramphenicol, and on drug-free agar (control). Antigens were prepared by heating bacteria suspensions in saline solution at 100 C or by suspension in alcohol. Antigens were tested for agglutinability with somatic O antisera and fluorescent antibody staining. The alcohol-treated antigens prepared from organisms grown in the presence of antibiotics other than ampicillin had lower agglutination titers than did the control grown on drug-free agar. Heat-treated control antigens had lower agglutination titers than did the alcohol-treated control antigens. The agglutinability of heat-treated antigens prepared from organisms that had been exposed to antibiotics was preserved or enhanced. The agglutinated filaments produced a flocculent sediment, in contrast to the granular sediment of the controls. No significant morphologic abnormality in cell-wall structures of antibiotic-exposed cells could be detected by either electron microscopy or the fluorescent antibody staining.
mesh_terms: D000372:Agglutination Tests; D000667:Ampicillin / Q000494:pharmacology; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000937:Antigen-Antibody Reactions; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D002701:Chloramphenicol / Q000494:pharmacology; D003470:Culture Media; D000431:Ethanol / Q000494:pharmacology; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D005839:Gentamicins / Q000494:pharmacology; D006358:Hot Temperature; D007106:Immune Sera; D012475:Salmonella / Q000276:immunology*; D012477:Salmonella enteritidis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D013752:Tetracycline / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D003470:Culture Media; D005839:Gentamicins; D007106:Immune Sera; D000431:Ethanol; D002701:Chloramphenicol; D000667:Ampicillin; D013752:Tetracycline