[Comparative data on the ability of Staphylococcus aureus to produce enterotoxins and other biologically active substances].

Of 201 staphylococcal strains tested, the majority had coagulase activity and oxidized mannitol under anaerobic conditions. Among the staphylococci, enterotoxigenous strains that partially or completely lost their enzymatic activity occurred in an insignificant number of cases. Enzymatic activity (plasma-coagulation, the presence of DNase and mannitol fermentation under anaerobic conditions) makes it possible to classify the strains isolated with Staphylococcus aureus. However, these strains did not always exhibit enterotoxigenous properties. Pigment formation is not the leading sign that allows for classifying staphylococci with Staphylococcus aureus or enterotoxigenous strains. The ability to enterotoxin production was found to be inherent in staphylococci whatever the object from which they were isolated. Enterotoxigeneity was mostly observed in the strains isolated during food poisoning. Such strains produced primarily serotype A or B enterotoxins.