serotype

American  

[seer-uh-tahyp, ser-] / ˈsɪər əˌtaɪp, ˈsɛr- /

noun

1. a group of organisms, microorganisms, or cells distinguished by their shared specific antigens as determined by serologic testing.

2. the set of antigens that characterizes the group.

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verb (used with object)

serotyped, serotyping

1. to classify by serotype.

serotype British  

/ ˈsɪərəʊˌtaɪp /

noun

1. med a category into which material, usually a bacterium, is placed based on its serological activity, esp in terms of the antigens it contains or the antibodies produced against it

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Etymology

Origin of serotype

First recorded in 1945–50; sero- + -type

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

serotype

“It is just a new serotype where the N1 segment is replaced by N9,” he said.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 28, 2025

The World Health Organization declared North and South America polio-free as of 1994, but in June 2022, a young adult living in Rockland County, New York, was diagnosed with serotype 2 vaccine-derived poliovirus.

From Salon ● Sep. 20, 2022

Of the three types of wild poliovirus — serotypes 1, 2 and 3 — serotype 1 is the most virulent and the most likely to cause paralysis.

From Seattle Times ● Sep. 19, 2022

The strain that caused the outbreak was found to be a new serotype not previously involved in other outbreaks, which indicates that E. coli is continuously evolving.

From Textbooks ● Jun. 9, 2022

Each new serotype added to the mix costs a significant amount of money and adds complexity to the formula, he says.

From Scientific American ● Sep. 4, 2018

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