The Enterococci and Related Streptococci

Abstract

Quite out of line with the usual "Presidential Address" I have chosen to speak to you briefly about some of our work of the past few months. These studies have concerned the extension of the Lancefield serological technique to those species or types of streptococci which are usually considered "enterococci," as well as to certain related forms. In doing this I must make use of material which belongs quite as much to others as to me. These investigations have been made possible during a comparatively brief span of time, amid many other duties, only by the untiring industry of my associates, Dr. Floyd R. Smith, now of the University of California, and Mr. Charles F. Niven. II "The enterococcus," as this term is commonly used among bacteriologists, has about as much biological meaning as "the bear." The name enterococcus has indeed covered a multitude of sins and has served manifold purposes, not the least being that of a screen behind which the investigator could hide his ignorance of the organisms with which he worked. A few reactions only have been necessary in order to classify an organism as an enterococcus. Such properties as thermal resistance, bile tolerance, reducing action, and the fermentation of mannitol are in general characteristic of enterococci, but by no means peculiar to them. The ability to ferment mannitol has been considered a prime requisite for an enterococcus, but one important species in the group does not attack this substance. In our own work on streptococci we have applied new criteria

THE PHYSIOLOGICAL AND SEROLOGICAL PROPERTIES OF STREPTOCOCCUS BOVIS AND RELATED ORGANISMS ISOLATED FROM CATTLE AND SHEEP

“…faecium and Strep. durans (Sherman, 1938;Shattock, 1949) but it differs from these species in many characteristics : it does not grow a t pH 9.6, in the presence of 6.5% salt or a t lo", and is more heat sensitive and fails to produce ammonia from arginine (Niven, Smiley & Sherman, 1942).…”

Species Differentiation of Faecal and Nonfaecal Enterococci

“…In this investigation, a cultural and a biochemical study of the enterococci fulfilling the Sherman criteria was attempted. These resistant streptococci whose isolation on glucose-azide broth was codinned on Litsky, Mallmann & Fifield's (1953) ethyl violet-glucose-azide agar, have been shown to share a common group D antigen (Sherman, 1938). The group antigen was also demonstrated by Shattock (1949) and Jones t Shattock (1960) Barnes (1959), who nevertheless recommended the use of the glucoseazide medium for the isolation of any significant faecal enterococci in water.…”

Indicator organisms for estuarine and marine waters

“…Hendricks [69] [71]. Enterococci are Gram-positive cocci which grow at temperatures between 10-45°C, and survive exposure to 60°C for at least 30 min, grow at pH 9.6 and also grow in 6.5% sodium chloride [72,73]. The enterococci are part oft he genus Streptococcus, and include certain group Q streptococci (e.g., [72,73].…”

“…Enterococci are Gram-positive cocci which grow at temperatures between 10-45°C, and survive exposure to 60°C for at least 30 min, grow at pH 9.6 and also grow in 6.5% sodium chloride [72,73]. The enterococci are part oft he genus Streptococcus, and include certain group Q streptococci (e.g., [72,73]. The enterococci group excludes Streptococcus boois and Streptococcus equinus, which are not usually found in human feces [74].…”