Wall teichoic acids in animal Staphylococcus aureus strains determined by precipitation.

Abstract

567 strains of Staphylococcus aureus isolated from a number of animal hosts were examined by agar gel precipitation for wall teichoic acids or other wall polysaccharides. The species was shown to be heterogeneous with regard to these constituents. Three groups could be distinguished: 1. The strains which had been classified biochemically as belonging to the human, bovine, hare and horse biotypes, and some of the swine strains, contained polysaccharide A. Of these, the horse strains contained polysaccharide Aα whereas the other strains regularly contained polysaccharide Aß. Of the latter, a higher incidence of additional polysaccharide Aα distinguished the human biotype from other biotypes. 2. The dog strains contained none of the reference polysaccharides but an unknown polysaccharide (P). 3. The pigeon and mink strains contained polysaccharide C. The occurrence of polysaccharide C in the biochemically least active biotypes is interesting, indicating a bridge towards the polysaccharide AßC group of S. epidermidis.