Diagnostic utilization of hemolytically active exosubstances of certain Gram-positive bacteria. II. Detection of staphylococcal hemolysins by means of a pre-purified hemolytically active exosubstance of Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis.

The use of Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis or of its hemolytically active exosubstance for the detection of staphylococcal hemolysins represents a suitable alterative to the use of the beta-toxin producing strain of Staphylococcus aureus, or of isolated beta-toxin. An increased capture of beta-toxin production was recorded when the CAMP-factor of Streptococcus agalactiae was used. A total of 446 Staphylococcus aureus strains and 48 coagulase-negative staphylococal strains were tested against the prepurified form of hemolytically active exosubstance of Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis and against the CAMP-factor. The results obtained are in agreement with the testing by means of staphylococcal beta-toxin and of the CAMP-factor. The two modifications of the method for the detection of staphylococcal hemolysins using one plate as proposed by the authors give good results. Their ability of assessment, however, is higher by one degree when the exocubstance of Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis is employed.