J. clin. Path., 1976, 29,746-748 Serotypes of group B meningococci

SYNOPSIS Strains of group B meningococci isolated from cases of sporadic infection, epidemic infection, and from patients unassociated with clinical meningococcal infection have been examined by a serological typing technique. The majority of group B meningococci from clinical infections in the UK have serotype 2 antigen. Such strains were relatively uncommon among carriers who had no association with meningococcal disease. Meningococci of group B and group C have been subdivided by serological typing schemes (Frasch and Chapman, 1972a and b; Gold and Wyle, 1970). This subdivision is based on the presence of protein antigens (Frasch and Gotschlich, 1974) rather than the group-specific polysaccharides, and it appears that these antigens are not confined exclusively to particular serogroups. The meningococci isolated from clinical infections in the UK are predominantly group B, and it seemed important to ascertain which serotypes are most prevalent. We have followed the typing system of Frasch and Chapman but, instead of their precipitin/bactericidal techniques, we have used bacterial agglutination. While this is not as refined as the original method, it is perhaps easier to perform on a number of strains and provides the essential epidemiological information