A Method for the Production of a Homogeneous Suspension of Bacillus Anthracis to Be Used in Agglutination Reactions

Abstract

Summary A satisfactory suspension of B. anthracis, for agglutination reactions, has been prepared by the described method. In order to be assured of a homogeneous suspension certain points must be observed. The cultures must be sporeless and must contain vigorous growths free from old organisms. The growths for the suspensions must be young, not more than eighteen hours old. The suspension must be thoroughly shaken; the larger clumps allowed to settle; and then carefully strained. Agglutinins have been demonstrated in the serum from horses hyper-immunized with B. anthracis. The antianthrax sera from thirteen horses have given agglutination titers of from 1 in 6400 to 1 in 20,000, as against titers of from 1 in 80 to 1 in 200 in normal horses. The agglutination tests show that certain antibodies have been produced in horses treated with B. anthracis and, in the absence of a satisfactory animal protection test or method of complement fixation the agglutination test may be used as a method for standardizing antianthrax serum.