Use of Fluorescent-Antibody Technique to Identify Experimental Hamster and Rat Strains of Cariogenic Streptococci

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Abstract
Rat and hamster strains of cariogenic streptococci do not belong to any of the known groups of streptococci, A through S. The organisms are species specific with regard to their experimental cariogenic activity the hamster strain induces caries only in the hamster and the rat strain induces caries only in the rat. Antisera were produced against these strains in rabbits and then conjugated with flourescein isothiocyanate. The conjugated antiserum against the hamster strain was used to identify similar cariogenic streptococci in hamsters which had been experimentally infected orally. To-date chemical studies of the cell walls of the cariogenic streptococci do not show that the ratio of rhamnose to n-acetyl glucosamine can be used to distinguish these organisms.