52
IV. STOEV
established the presence of two acid-soluble type specific antigens, A and
B. Strains devoid of these acid-soluble antigens he placed in a further
group, N.
Roots and Venske (1952a, b) used a rapid method for the determination
of agglutination to demonstrate a further non-specific antigen and Ewald
(1955), using agglutination, established that in every group A strain there
was a B antigen present and vice versa. Precipitation using acid extracts
detected only type specific acid-soluble antigens. Further antigens have
subsequently been demonstrated in Erysipelothrix. Heuner (1958) detected
an antigen, C , in strains which were non-pathogenic for pigs and a further
antigen, D, from various animals. Further antigens have been demonstrated; antigen E by Kucsera (1963, 1964), F by Murase et al. (1959) and
H by Ewald (1967).
The A and B group strains are pathogenic for pigs while the rest of
the groups are non-pathogenic, some of them being isolated from the
tonsils of pigs, cows, fish, etc.
Serological grouping of E . insidiosa was first carried out by agglutination
and tube precipitin reactions. Agglutination is complicated because of
spontaneous agglutination and non-specific cross reactions. Cross reactions also occur on occasions with the precipitin method, which, in
addition, can be difficult to read. Ouchterlony (1953) introduced the
agar-gel diffusion precipitin reaction which opened up new possibilities
for the typing of E. insidiosa. Truszczynski (1961) and Ewald (1962) used
this method for the typing of Erysipelothrix and demonstrated that the
method was reliable, providing results in 18 h whilst precipitin lines were
still visible after several days. Mansi (1958) modified the Ouchterlony
method to produce a micro-test using layers of agar poured on glass plates
and Nikolov (1964) used this method to type Erysipelothrix using microscope object glasses.
B. Bacteriophage
Brill and Politynska (1961) proposed the use of specific Erysipelothrix
phages for typing purposes. They isolated phages specific for serogroup A
and described their morphology. They considered that the phages could
be used for group-specific diagnosis and similar results were reported by
Hammer (1951). Revenko (1968) isolated group N specific phages and
used them to type Erysipelothrix strains.
C. Haemagglutination
Dinter (1949) showed that some strains of E . insidiosa had the capacity
to agglutinate hen erythrocytes. The more highly immunogenic strains of
serogroup B showed haemagglutinating ability while group A strains did
IV. STOEV
established the presence of two acid-soluble type specific antigens, A and
B. Strains devoid of these acid-soluble antigens he placed in a further
group, N.
Roots and Venske (1952a, b) used a rapid method for the determination
of agglutination to demonstrate a further non-specific antigen and Ewald
(1955), using agglutination, established that in every group A strain there
was a B antigen present and vice versa. Precipitation using acid extracts
detected only type specific acid-soluble antigens. Further antigens have
subsequently been demonstrated in Erysipelothrix. Heuner (1958) detected
an antigen, C , in strains which were non-pathogenic for pigs and a further
antigen, D, from various animals. Further antigens have been demonstrated; antigen E by Kucsera (1963, 1964), F by Murase et al. (1959) and
H by Ewald (1967).
The A and B group strains are pathogenic for pigs while the rest of
the groups are non-pathogenic, some of them being isolated from the
tonsils of pigs, cows, fish, etc.
Serological grouping of E . insidiosa was first carried out by agglutination
and tube precipitin reactions. Agglutination is complicated because of
spontaneous agglutination and non-specific cross reactions. Cross reactions also occur on occasions with the precipitin method, which, in
addition, can be difficult to read. Ouchterlony (1953) introduced the
agar-gel diffusion precipitin reaction which opened up new possibilities
for the typing of E. insidiosa. Truszczynski (1961) and Ewald (1962) used
this method for the typing of Erysipelothrix and demonstrated that the
method was reliable, providing results in 18 h whilst precipitin lines were
still visible after several days. Mansi (1958) modified the Ouchterlony
method to produce a micro-test using layers of agar poured on glass plates
and Nikolov (1964) used this method to type Erysipelothrix using microscope object glasses.
B. Bacteriophage
Brill and Politynska (1961) proposed the use of specific Erysipelothrix
phages for typing purposes. They isolated phages specific for serogroup A
and described their morphology. They considered that the phages could
be used for group-specific diagnosis and similar results were reported by
Hammer (1951). Revenko (1968) isolated group N specific phages and
used them to type Erysipelothrix strains.
C. Haemagglutination
Dinter (1949) showed that some strains of E . insidiosa had the capacity
to agglutinate hen erythrocytes. The more highly immunogenic strains of
serogroup B showed haemagglutinating ability while group A strains did