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Index >> Serology >> Agglutination

Agglutination

Agglutination - In this reaction antibodies react with antigens on the surface of particulate objects and cause the objects to clump together, or agglutinate. These reactions were the earliest to be adapted to diagnostic laboratory. Widal test is used for diagnosis of typhoid fever. This test, developed by Georges Fernand I. Widal (French physician) in 1896, is now supplemented by more sophisticated procedures. A polyvalent serum (a serum containing a mixture of antibodies) is prepared.

Passive agglutination is a modem approach in this procedure, where antigens are adsorbed onto surface of latex spheres, polystyrene particles, red blood cells, bacteria or other carriers. Serum antibodies are then detected by observing agglutination of the carrier particle. Haemagglutination is the agglutination of red blood cells. This process is very important in the determination of blood types before transfusion process. Some viruses as those of mumps and measles that agglutinate red blood cells may be detected in patients serum by this test.

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