Requirement of Certain Plasma Factors for Production of Red Band By Staphylococcus aureus

Abstract

Summary

1. The Guy and Oxford strains of S. aureus regularly cause development of the red band phenomena when inoculated on agar containing washed red cells and alpha globulin IV₁ lot 6 (Pentex). 2. Fraction IV₁, lot 6, is not able to replace plasma in the development of lipid plaques noted in whole blood containing plates inoculated with the Guy strain. 3. Human alpha globulin fractions IV, IV₄ or bovine fraction IV₁ could also be substituted for whole plasma to produce the red band phenomenon. 4. Further studies are being conducted in efforts to discover what substance in fractions IV, IV₁and IV₄ serves as a specific substrate for the red band production.