title: Serological identification of oral Bacteroides spp. by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.
abstract: A rapid method for identifying black-pigmented oral Bacteroides spp. is described. Species-specific rabbit antisera to Bacteroides gingivalis, B. intermedius, and B. melaninogenicus were used in an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay to identify clinical isolates of black-pigmented Bacteroides spp. from humans. The results showed excellent agreement with biochemical identification of B. gingivalis and B. intermedius. Only 36% of the B. melaninogenicus isolates were identified with the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, suggesting that this group of black-pigmented Bacteroides spp. is made up of more than one serotype. The serological enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay should enable rapid identification of black-pigmented Bacteroides spp. isolated from sites of oral diseases and may also be used to identify the presence of these organisms in complex bacterial mixtures from oral sites.
mesh_terms: D000362:Agar; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000378:metabolism; D001439:Bacteroides / Q000145:classification* / Q000276:immunology; D001667:Binding, Competitive; D003470:Culture Media; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005557:Formaldehyde; D006801:Humans; D007700:Kinetics; D009055:Mouth / Q000382:microbiology*; D010858:Pigmentation; D013045:Species Specificity
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D003470:Culture Media; D005557:Formaldehyde; D000362:Agar