The Recovery of Bacteriophage from Filtrates Derived from Heated Spore-Suspensions

Abstract

Evidence is presented to show that known bacteriophage-free strains of several spore-forming organisms may be so changed by bacteriophage action that the principle can be demonstrated in filtrates of cultures developed from heated spores. This does not necessarily mean that the lytic agent, as such, survives the heating process, but it does mean that recovery of a lytic principle from a pasteurized culture is not conclusive proof of the spontaneous generation of bacteriophage.