Lysozyme Production as an Aid for Identification of Potentially Pathogenic Strains of Staphylococci

Abstract

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 coagulasepositive strains of human and animal origin, 1,098 were lysozyme-positive (98.5%). On the other hand, of 157 coagulase-negative strains which, based on further investigations, belong to the potentially pathogenic staphylococci, all were lysozymepositive. All of the 156 strains (100%) belonging to the species S. albus (epidermidis) were lysozyme-negative. We conclude that lysozyme production is a better index of potentially pathogenic staphylococci than the measurement of free coagulase, especially in cases of strains of animal origin. It is possible that lysozyme production allows a differentiation between pathogenic and nonpathogenic coagulase-negative staphylococci. In recent years, various reports have been

Bacteriolytic activity in staphylococci

“…The possibility of a relationship between pathogenicity and production of bacteriolytic activity was suggested when the latter was shown to be common to all S. aureus strains (20,23). Moreover, some authors regard the production of bacteriolytic activity as an indicator of potentially pathogenic staphylococci (1,14,17,19). Our data, although demonstrating the production of bacteriolytic activity by all Staphylococcus strains, do not nessarily rule out such possibilities.…”

Bacteriology. The survival of pathogens in cheese and milk powder

“…The occurrence of coagulase-negative staphylococci as a causative agent in disease has also been reported (Smith & Farkas-Himsley, 1969). Grossgebauer, Schmidt & Langmaack (1968) suggest that lysozyme is a better indicator of pathogenicity than coagulase, especially in strains of animal origin and that it could be used to differentiate between pathogenic and non-pathogenic coagulase-negative staphylococci. Victor, Lachica, Weiss & Deibel (1969) found a good correlation between the presence of heat-stable deoxyribonuclease and enterotoxin production.…”

Polymyxin-Coagulase-Deoxyribonuclease-Agar: a Selective Isolation Medium for Staphylococcus aureus1

“…The production of staphylococcal deoxyribonuclease is believed to be highly correlated with that of coagulase (1, 3, 4, 6, 11). The occurrence of potentially pathogenic, coagulase-negative staphylococci was reported by Grossgebauer et al (5). Since not all pathogenic staphylococci produce coagulase, a selective medium which is capable of detecting coagulase and deoxyribonuclease may provide more certain identification of pathogenic staphylococci than the use of either test alone.…”