Fritz Kauffmann: innovator in microbial classification

Abstract

Fritz Kauffmann (1899–1978) was a German/Danish microbiologist, who worked most of his years studying intestinal bacteria at Statens Serum Institut in Denmark. During his research, he implemented several diagnostic tools, which are still used in reference laboratories worldwide. Kauffmann was probably most known for developing the “Kauffmann-White scheme” based on the O- and flagella antigens on the surface of Salmonella. He was a visionary in his field, working at the intersection of microbiology and public health, as his research enabled proper diagnosis and tracking of diseases around the world.