[Inhibiting action of egg albumin on the growth of coagulase-negative species of staphylococci].

The effect of various concentrations of native egg albumin on growth of three staphyloccal species was studied. It was found that addition of 25 per cent of the albumin to the medium prepared from dry nutrient agar inhibited growth of Staph. epidermidis and Staph. saprophyticus, had no effect on growth of Staph. aureus and promoted formation of a pigment by it. A mechanism of the albumin inhibitory effect is suggested. It is proposed that the albumin medium be used for differentiation of Staph. aureus and the coagulase-negative species of staphylococci.