Behavior of Bacteriophage in Body Fluids and in Exudates

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Abstract
The nonspecific inhibitory effect of serum on bacteriophagy is influenced by the serum, body fluid, race of bacteriophage, and bacterial strain or species. Attempts to adapt a staphylococcic or a streptococcic phage to produce complete lysis in serum were practically unsuccessful. Repeated contact with serum may have a tendency to make an organism lysis-resistant and consequently an adaptation to resist lysis develops. A study of the mechanisms of inhibition to lysis shows that serum delays multiplication of the bacteriophage, but does not prevent specific fixation of the corpuscle. In the serum, the protein fraction is the main factor in inhibition of lysis, while in urine the crystalloid fraction inhibits. The findings suggest that bacteriophagy in the body is much modified as compared to test tube standards of lysis. This modification is in the direction of lessening the sterilizing capacity of the bacteriophage.

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