STAPHYLOCOCCUS AUREUS AND STAPHYLOCOCCAL FOOD INTOXICATIONS. A REVIEW

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Staphylococcal food intoxication ranked first among reported food poisoning outbreaks and third in number of cases during 1970. The nature of the staphylococci as they relate to food intoxications is reviewed in this paper. After considering the taxonomy and general characteristics of these gram-positive, facultative-anaerobic, mainly parasitic cocci; characteristics suggested as indices of enterotoxigenicity are discussed. The coagulase test is the most widely used of these indices; but, production of hemolysin, phosphatase, urease, deoxyribonuclease, and protein A; hydrolysis of gelatin; pigmentation; and mannitol fermentation also have been suggested. Consideration has been given to isolation of staphylococci. Virtually all selective and differential media used to isolate staphylococci, which include those employing tellurite, egg yolk, pyruvate, glycine, fibrinogen, sodium chloride, mannitol, polymyxin, and sodium azide, are somewhat inhibitory to growth of these organisms. Some studies are cited which compare the relative recovery efficiencies of these media. Finally, studies are discussed which relate to growth and inhibition of staphylococci in bacteriological media.

This publication has 0 references indexed in Scilit: