THE DISTRIBUTION OF FRIEDLÄNDER'S BACILLI OF DIFFERENT TYPES

Abstract

In a study of the distribution of the specific types of Friedländer's bacillus, it is shown that: (1) Of 80 strains 52 per cent belong to Type A, 15 per cent to Type B, 9 per cent to Type C, and 24 per cent to Group X. (2) Type A contains for the most part strains derived from diseases of man and more than 70 per cent are associated with pneumonia in man. (3) Type B includes the greatest number of strains from animal sources, while the heterogeneous strains comprising Group X come from the greatest variety of diseases. It was demonstrated that in a patient suffering with pneumonia due to Friedländer's bacillus (Type A), a specific precipitin reaction of the urine occurred in the corresponding (Type A) immune serum. A study of the sugar fermentation reactions of Friedländer's bacillus shows that (1) there is no correlation between serological type and fermentative activity; (2) the fermentation reactions are variable and therefore not reliable for distinguishing Friedländer's bacillus from closely allied organisms; (3) the strains of Group X show the greatest variation in fermentation, and (4) of 15 strains unable to ferment lactose, 13 belong to Type A.