Publisher Summary The chapter describes the three variations of the numerous assays of
complement-mediated serum bactericidal activity. Each is easily adaptable for use in most
clinical or experimental laboratory situations where serum killing of bacteria is of interest.
The methods differ in the serum: organism ratios employed and their use of endogenous
versus exogenous complement sources, yet all are reliable functional indicators of serum
bactericidal activity. The two adaptations of the basic bactericidal assay that allow an …