Relationship of antigen k to Staphylococcus aureus bacteriophage type 187, of human and of canine origins.

Similarities as well as differences have been observed between phage type 187 Staphylococcus aureus cultures of human and of canine origins. Thus, all strains susceptible to phage 187, regardless of their host specificity, were agglutinated by absorbed serum k. (Furthermore, agglutinability of the autoclaved bacteria indicated a reaction with the k(1) component of the k-antigen complex.) On the other hand, the strains of canine biotype were in addition agglutinated by absorbed serum 61218, and they possessed biochemical features which distinguished them from human strains of S. aureus.