The Depression of Phagocytosis by Products of Staphylococci

Abstract

Abstract The fact that staphylococci produce substances harmful to leucocytes has been recognized since the discovery of leucocidin by Van de Velde (1). Denys and Van de Velde (2), Bail (3), Neisser and Wechsberg (4), and Julianelle (5) have confirmed and expanded the original studies. The ability of products of staphylococcal growth to depress phagocytosis was noted by Hektoen (6) and by Wadsworth and Hoppe (7). Believing that the depression of phagocytosis might play an important rôle in staphylococcal pathogenicity, the present work was undertaken with the hope of learning more about the production and nature of the phagocytosis depressing substance. Preparation of the Phagocytosis Depressing Agent. It has been demonstrated that toxic substances may be produced by staphylococci grown on solid media and that a suspenssion of these substances may be obtained by suspending the organisms in saline and subsequently removing the organisms from the saline by centrifugation or filtration.