[Ultrastructural changes in populations of the pertussis microbe exposed to antibiotics].

The ultrastructural changes in the populations of the pertussis causative agent maintained for a prolonged period of time on nutrient media containing antibiotics were studied with the method of electron microscopy. Significant changes in the ultrastructure of the cells and the population composition due to the effect of tetracycline, levomycetin or erythromycin were observed. The ultrastructure of the populations affected by penicillin or streptomycin and their biological properties were most similar to those of the initial strains. The electronogrammes revealed morphological heterogeneity of the initial and experimental cultures and changes in the subpopulation composition induced by the antibiotics.