polySia was discovered in E. coli K-235 by Barry and Goebel in 1957. E. coli is an encapsulated, gram-negative bacteria in which Barry and Goebel studied, pinpointing polySia, which they called colominic acid. Following this discovery, multiple other bacterial capsules abundant in glycans were found to contain polySia. This included Neisseia meningitidis serogroups B and C in 1975. This was done by the use of a horse anti-polySia polyclonal antibody, being one of the first effective immunochemical probes. This was revolutionary as the anti-polySia antibodies were used to find polySia on proteins and cells. Mannheimia haemolytica A2, Moraxella nonliquifaciens, and E. coli K92 were found in 2013. Due to the capsule containing polySia, many scientists have tried to generate vaccines for these specific bacteria, notoriously difficult to target. However, their successes have been numbered as α2,8-polySia is naturally produced by humans. Another issue is that polySia found in bacteria does not produce a solid or consistent immune response.
Another method of polySia detection relies on molecular labeling with fluorescence. This process, started in 1998, involves exposing α2→8-linked N-acylneuraminic acid (Neu5Acyl) to periodate oxidation causing the terminals to be oxidized and in between untouched. If C compounds are observed after this exposure it indicates the presence of polySia. The way these can be numbered is by anion exchange chromatography after periodate oxidation with the label 1,2-diamino-4,5-methylenedioxybenzene (DMB) on C and C. It is known that there are many different structures of polySia and these were difficult to recognize and detect until this fluorescent labeling, making it very advantageous.