Detection of staphylococcal enterotoxigenicity. I. Methods.

A culture medium has been developed, using the components easily available in Czechoslovakia, that ensures high-yield production of staphylococcal enterotoxins. Its quality was tested by the "cellophane-over-age" cultivation method using standard prototype strains of staphylococci. The microprecipitation method for the detection of staphylococcal enterotoxins was modified and practically tested. Its sensitivity was 0.3 micrograms/ml in enterotoxins A, B and C, and 0.6 micrograms/ml in types D and E.