THE PATHOGENIC STAPHYLOCOCCI

Observations on the Immunology of Pathogenic Staphylococci †

Many pathogenic strains of bacteria producing acute infection in man are characterized by capsules or surface factors which resist phagocytosis.' Differences in antigenic structure of these surface components have allowed separation of individual pathogenic strains and study of the role of specific antibody in resistance to, or recovery from, infections caused by these microbial species. To dat...

What distinguishes highly pathogenic staphylococci from medium- and non-pathogenic?

Members of the genus Staphylococcus are widespread as commensals of humans and animals where they colonize the skin or mucous membranes. While this coexistence remains mostly untroubled, especially for the healthy host, the bacteria may pose a serious threat for the human or animal host when they get access to inner layers of the body through breaches in skin or membranes. Among the members of ...

Studies on Staphylococci from the Bovine Udder : I. Biological Characteristics of Staphylococci and Some Observations on the Pathogenic Strains

Lysozyme production as an aid for identification of potentially pathogenic strains of staphylococci.

Lysozyme production is a frequent property of potentially pathogenic staphylococci. In the present study, 1,186 strains of human origin, 85 strains of animal origin, and 156 strains of Staphylococcus albus (epidermidis) were tested. Of 1,114 coagulase-positive strains of human and animal origin, 1,098 were lysozyme-positive (98.5%). On the other hand, of 157 coagulase-negative strains which, ba...

Incidence of Pathogenic Staphylococci in a Group of Northern Ireland Munition Workers

DURING the winter of 1939-40 a number of men working in a munition factory attended at the skin department of the Royal Victoria Hospital, Belfast, where they were seen by Dr. Ivan McCaw. They were suffering from staphylococcal lesions of the skin of the arms and thighs, which varied in severity from mild folliculitis with acne to severe boils. During work, the skin of the parts affected was in...