Reconstitution of the somatic (O-) antigenic scheme for Providencia and preparation of O-typing antisera.

The somatic (O-) antigens of the type strains of the providencia antigenic scheme were examined for their biochemical reactions and their O-specificities. The scheme of 62 O-antigens was reconstituted from 52 original type strains and 10 strains substituted for originals that either were biochemically atypical of the genus or showed inappropriate serological reactions. Thirty-six type strains showed no significant relations with other type strains, and antisera could be used for typing without absorption. Among 26 type strains, significant reciprocal relations were demonstrated, and each cross-reacting antigen was examined for specificity and for its distribution among the type strains. Antisera to these strains required absorption with cell suspensions of other type strains for production of specificity in O-typing. Each typing antiserum, at low dilution, was shown to agglutinate homologous, but not heterologous, cell suspensions of type strains, and this result demonstrated the required specificity for typing on the basis of the O-antigens.