Combined serotyping and biotyping of Serratia marcescens

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Abstract
The API (Analytab Products, Inc., New York, New York, USA) biotypes of 117 clinical isolates of S. marcescens were determined and fell into 13 patterns. The O and H antigens were determined by tube agglutination, and 27 serotypes were identified. The biotype and serotype appeared to vary independently. Serotyping and biotyping combined divided these isolates into 56 types. There was a problem interpreting the end points for inositol fermentation and urease production, which could affect reproducibility of API biotypes. Biotyping is a simple way of screening for possible nosocomial outbreaks of S. marcescens.