Specific and cross-reacting antigens of Staphylococcus aureus of human and canine origins

Abstract

Biotype-specificity of Staphylococcus aureus of human and canine origins has been found to be associated with thermolabile agglutinogens represented in S. aureus strains 17 and 61218, respectively. Both strains also have exhibited a common thermostable antigen. On that basis, absorbed antisera have been developed for the differentiation of S. aureus of the two biotypes. In the present study, still another thermostable agglutinogen was established, shared by strain 17 and some S. aureus strains of canine origin, as represented by S. aureus strain 887. These findings led to modification and enhanced specificity of the serological method of distinguishing S. aureus of the human biotype from S. aureus of the canine biotype.

New serologically distinguishable type of coagulase-positive staphylococcus of canine origin

“…In a previous study (8), some staphylococcal isolates from infections in dogs with biochemical properties of staphylococci of canine origin were agglutinated by absorbed antiserum to staphylococcal strain 61218, known to react with staphylococci of canine biotype (6) as well as with absorbed antiserum to staphylococcal strain 17, specific for staphylococci of human origin (7). Further investigation of this incongruity resulted in the recognition of canine staphylococcal strain 887, representative of the cultures in question, which was determined to share antigenic components with strain 61218, as well as with strain 17.…”

“…Further investigation of this incongruity resulted in the recognition of canine staphylococcal strain 887, representative of the cultures in question, which was determined to share antigenic components with strain 61218, as well as with strain 17. However, after treatment of antiserum 17 with strain 887, subsequent to its absorption with strain 61218 (the procedure used until then [8] for the preparation of absorbed antiserum 17), the new diagnostic serum 17 was found to have retained its specificity for staphylococci of human origin, while it ceased to agglutinate any of the isolates involved. These then reacted only with absorbed antiserum 61218 and thus proved to be staphylococci of canine biotype.…”

“…The 31 unclassified isolates were then tested with absorbed antiserum to strain 887 to determine any possible relationship of these isolates to the recently identified grouprepresentative canine staphylococcal strain 887 (8). All but one of these isolates yielded positive results in the agglutination test with absorbed antiserum 887 (Table 1).…”