Demonstration of Rantz Antigen in Members of the Genus Bacillus.

A non-species specific antigen was discovered in many gram-positive bacteria by means of hemagglutination and hemolysis tests (Rantz et al., J. Infectious Diseases, 98, 211, 1956). It was found in Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pyogenes, Streptococcus viridans, Diplococcus pneumoniae, as well as in one strain of Bacillus ski, Z. Immunitatsforsch., 118, 269, 1959). Even after lysis of the latter microorganism the antigen could not be detected (Gorzynski et al., J. Bacteriol., 80, accepted for publication). The present investigation was carried out to determine Rantz antigen production by members of the genus Bacillus.