Serotüüpimise

Serotüüpimise is a process used in microbiology to classify bacteria based on their antigenic properties. It involves identifying specific surface antigens, which are molecules that can provoke an immune response. These antigens are often found on the cell wall or flagella of bacteria. By reacting a bacterial sample with a set of known antibodies, each specific to a particular antigen, researchers can determine the serotype of the bacteria. If an antibody binds to an antigen on the bacteria, it indicates the presence of that specific antigen, and thus the corresponding serotype.

This method is particularly useful for distinguishing between different strains of the same bacterial species that may have varying virulence or epidemiological characteristics. For instance, certain serotypes of *Escherichia coli* or *Salmonella* are known to cause more severe diseases than others. Serotyping has historically been a crucial tool for tracking infectious disease outbreaks, identifying sources of contamination, and developing targeted treatments or vaccines. While newer molecular methods like DNA sequencing have become more prevalent, serotyping remains a valuable and often complementary technique due to its relative simplicity, speed, and cost-effectiveness in certain diagnostic and epidemiological settings. It provides a phenotypic classification that can offer insights distinct from genotypic analyses.