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A Study of the Agglutination Reactions of the Diphtheria Group of Organisms

From the Department of Preventive Medicine and Hygiene, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts

Abstract

A summary of all the agglutination tests is given in condensed form in table 1. It will be observed that a large number of cross-reactions occurred among the strains of avirulent diphtheria bacilli. Thus sera 1549, 1875, 387-2, B370-1, 6391, 6439, 6466, "Denberg," "Farise," "Pizano," and "Car" gave about the same number of cross-agglutinations for the various heterologous cultures, while sera 2098, B196-1, B1746 and "Abramowitz" gave fewer cross-reactions. Since strains 6439 and 6466 were agglutinated in the lower dilutions by normal serum, their agglutination by some of the heterologous sera is of little significance. The anti-Hofmann bacillus serum "Gracia" gave significant cross-agglutination only for another strain of this organism, and the same is true of serum "Bruce" (anti-Xerosis bacillus) for two other strains of B. xerosis. No agglutination was shown by any of the above sera for the two cultures (8D and 2) of virulent diphtheria bacilli tested. According to their fermentative reactions, these cultures were representatives of the first and second serological groups of these organisms respectively. In every case the serum and its own culture gave the highest titer. Although no absorption tests were made, the large number of cross-reactions, especially among the strains of avirulent diphtheria bacilli, would indicate the presence of common agglutinins.