The coagulase test for staphylococci

Abstract

Coagulase slide tests have been carried out on food, human and animal strains of staphylococci with human and animal plasmas. Coagulase production is confined to pathogenic strains of staphylococci and this test is specific for the identification of these strains. Plasmas can be used from human, ox, mouse, rabbit and cat species for slide test. Very occasional strains may not be detected by dog and pig plasmas, while horse, sheep and guinea-pig plasmas have been found most unreliable. On the basis of previous work and together with the evidence presented it is suggested that organisms of the genus Staphylococcus may be divided into coagulase-positive strains ( Staphylococcus pyogenes ) and coagulase-negative strains ( Staphylococcus saprophyticus ), and that division on the basis of pigment production may well be discontinued.