The Distribution of Soil Actinomycetes Antagonistic to Protozoa

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Abstract
For many serious protozoan infections of man satisfactory chemotherapy is lacking. This study explored the antibiotic approach to this problem. The test organisms were Euglena gracilis, Herpetomonas culicidarum. and Tetrahvmena geleii which grow readily in pure culture. Since most of the antibiotics efficacious in the treatment of bacterial infections are products of Actinomycetes, this group was investigated, in preference to bacteria and molds, for the ability to synthesize antiprotozoan agents. In only 46 out of 738 tests was protozoan growth inhibited. Of the 82 Actinomycetes, 27 were active. The 2 flagellated protozoa were far more sensitive than the ciliate. At least 5 of the 82 Actinomycetes elaborated heat-stable antiprotozoan agents, one of which was inhibitive to H. culicidarum in dilutions greater than 1:100. The fact that only 11 out of 20 antiprotozoan Actinomycetes inhibited one or more of 4 test bacteria emphasizes the unsuitability of bacteria as test organisms for the isolation of antibiotics inhibitive to protozoa.

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