The immunizing properties of a Staphylococcus aureus variant possessing surface antigen

Abstract

A Staphylococcus aureus variant was produced from a typical pathogenic strain by passage in semi-synthetic broth. It possesses surface antigen serologically identical to Smith surface antigen, but the variant differs from typical Smith strains in that it is bound coagulase positive, forms compact colonies in soft serum agar and is avirulent for mice. The surface antigen is immunogenic, but immunity experiments stressed the importance of the protective properties of somatic antigens.