Hi everybody!

 

I have a question. What's the difference between serotype and serovar, in relation to the Salmonella genus? I am doing a HW where I'm supposed to find a test that is able to differentiate between Salmonella enterica typhi and Salmonella enterica Enteriditis.

 

So far, I discovered that the Kauffman-White method is the gold standard. However, there is a drawback (from the website below): "The problem with this conventional method is that it is laborious, time consuming, and cannot differentiate within serovars."

 

Does this mean that by using KW, I cannot distinguish between Salmonella enterica typhi and Salmonella enterica Enteriditis?

 

 

Glowstar

Serovar is the same as serotype. KW is a means to distinguish them in a clinical context, but their use in terms of taxonomy has changed quite a bit from the original proposal by Kauffmann. I.e. each serotype was originally considered a species.

 

What you quote however, is at odds what you ask. The quote states that you cannot differentiate within serovars/serotypes. S. ser.Typhi (serovars are capitalized and non-italicized) and S. ser. Enteriditis are, as the name implies, different serovars.

What it means is that strains within a given serovar cannot be distinguished.

Thank you!