Enterotoxins of Pathogenic Staphylocci: A Survey

The study of the various forms of staphyloccic food poisoning is one of the urgent tasks in the microbiology of sanitation and food. It has been established that the causes of food poisoning are the enterotoxins of certain pathogenic staphylocci. During the past decade researchers in a number of countries have sought to obtain an enterotoxin in purified from with the purpose of studying its precise nature. With the use of modern methods electrophoresis, chromatographic fractionation, ultracentrifuging, spectral analysis in the infrared and ultraviolet, etc. a number of various types of entrotoxins have been brought to light. They have been designated A, B, C, D, etc. The enterotoxic properties of staphylococci as determined in biological experiments are discussed.