STUDIES ON BACTERIAL AGGLUTINATION BY USE OF THE ANTIGLOBULIN (COOMBS) TECHNIQUE

Abstract

The Coombs antiglobulin test has been successfully applied to bacterial cells in agglutination reactions. The test is a test for attached antibody globulin. Titers obtained by this method are shown to be from one to three tubes higher than those obtained by routine agglutination tests. Polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP), bovine albumin, and human albumin have also been shown to hasten and strengthen bacterial agglutinations. The incomplete albumin reacting antibody titer of antisera seems to be higher than that of the saline reacting, or complete antibodies. The Coombs reaction is a specific test for antibody globulin attached to sensitized cells. There is no reaction where there is no combination between antibody globulin and the cell antigen, as shown by heterologous tests.