SOME OBSERVATIONS OF THE EFFECT OF FILTRATES OF SEVERAL REPRESENTATIVE CONCOMITANT BACTERIA ON CLOSTRIDIUM BOTULINUM TYPE A

Abstract

Filtrates of growing cultures of Bacillus sphacricus, Clostridium sporogenes, Escherichia coli, and Streptococcus faecalis inhibited germination of spores of Clostridium botulinum type A. Of the four filtrates only that of E. coli was inactive at low (1:8) concentrations, and all were inhibitory at high (1:2) levels. Only filtrates of B. sphaericus and C. sporogenes affected lysis (increased) of washed cells of C. botulinum, and only S. faecalis filtrate altered botulinal toxigenicity in a complete medium. S. faecalis filtrate enhanced the final toxicity when present in high concentrations in the presence of phosphate buffer.