Comparison of Two Methods for Serotyping Campylobacter spp.

Two serotyping schemes (Penner and Laboratory of Enteric Pathogens [LEP]) based on soluble heat-stable antigens were used to analyze 3,788 Campylobacter sp. isolates. A significant percentage (36.6%) was untypeable using LEP serotyping; greater cross-reaction was also observed. The relative discrimination capabilities of the techniques were similar. Penner serotyping fulfils more of the requisite criteria for typing methods.