STUDIES WITH MICROAEROPHILIC ACTINOMYCETES II

Abstract

Twenty cultures of microaerophilic actinomycetes isolated from human and animal sources were used in this study. Rabbits were immunized with each culture and then reciprocal agglutinin absorptions were done using these various antigens and antisera. The results demonstrated that cultures A-1, A-2, A-4, A-11, A-13, A-21, B-2, E-3, P-1, M-1, T-12, T-43, T-48 and T-97 would reciprocally absorb each others agglu-tinins and these Actinomyces were designated as those com-prising Group A. Cultures A-5, A-6, B-6, B-7, B-8 and E-1 would also reciprocally absorb each others agglutinins but not those of the above group. These were designated as Group B. Thus, there are microaerophilic actinomycetes isolated from human, bovine, equine and porcine sources which may be divided into 2 serological groups. Group A includes 14 Actinomvces. some of which are isolated from all the above sources. Group B contains 6 cultures, each isolated from either human, bovine or porcine actinomycosis. From these results it is apparent that habitat does not correlate with anti-genic composition.