SEROLOGY OF NEISSERIA GONORRHOEAE. CHARACTERIZATION OF RABBIT HYPERIMMUNE ANTISERA BY LINE‐ROCKET IMMUNOELECTROPHORESIS FOR USE IN COAGGLUTINATION

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Abstract
The coagglutination (COA) and line-rocket immunoelectrophoresis (L-RIE) techniques were investigated for the serological classification of N. gonorrhoeae. COA with absorbed sera demonstrated strain-specific and cross-reacting antigens. The results depended on the immunizing, absorbing and agglutinating properties of a particular strain. Heated (100.degree. C) whole cells were more reactive in the COA tests than untreated or formalin-fixed organisms. By L-RIE, the antigenic relationship between at least 20 strains was compared in a single test run. This technique was applied on the 16 major outer membrane protein (MOMP) reference strains, which could then be divided into 2 separate groups with regard to cross-reacting antigens. Based on the findings by the L-RIE tests, selective absorptions of antibodies were performed for use in preparation of COA reagents. The reactions of these reagents with the MOMP reference strains could be assigned to 3 different antigenic classes. Reagents prepared for these classes are proposed as a basis for serological classification of N. gonorrhoeae.