The determinant for streptomycin resistance in some strains of Staphylococcus aureus isolated from clinical specimens was found to be lost during storage as stock cultures or by high temperature treatment. This fact has added an additional proof that many genetic determinants for drug-resistance in staphylococci are easily and irreversibly lost.

Induction of chloramphenicol (CM) resistance in Staphylococcus aureus was investigated by using several CM derivatives. It was found that dl-threo-1-p-nitrophenyl-2-dichloroacetamino-1,3-dichloropropane has high antibacterial activity but low activity of induction for CM resistance. In spite of low antibacterial activity, induction of CM resistance occurred after prior treatment with dl-threo-1-p-nitrophenyl-2-dichloroacetamino-3-chloropropane-1-ol.It was found that dl-chloramphenicol di-acetate, dlthreo-1-p-nitrophenyl-2-dichloroacetamino-3-bromopropane-1-ol and dl-threo-1-phenyl-2-dichloroacetamino-1,3-propanediol have induction ability in spite of the absence of antibacterial activity. Other derivatives were classified into two groups; (1) low antibacterial activity and induction of CM resistance and (2) loss of both activities.

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