[The nature of changes in the antigenic spectrum of the causative agent of melioidosis during animal passage].

The comparative analysis of the antigenic spectra of Pseudomonas pseudomallei museum and subcultured strains, carried out by the method of immunoelectrophoresis, has revealed that, along with an essential increase in the virulence of P. pseudomallei for white mice and changes in the morphology of colonies, a decrease in the amount of detected precipitinogens occurs in the process of subculturing. The immunoelectrophoregrams of the subcultured variants show the absence of antigens 5, 6 and the simultaneous increase of the production of antigen 8, one of the components of mucoid (in the pseudocapsule).