[Occurrence of the cathode-bound group antigen of the dysentery bacilli in Escherichieae types of intermediate character (author's transl)].
Protoplasmatic antigens of 28 strains of 27 Escherichieae types not accepted as Shigellae have been examined for the occurrence of a cathode-bound group antigen (KGA). From the tested cultures of non-dysentery-provoking types E. coli O28 E1073(z) TAYLOR, E. coli O32, E. coli O115 (27w), Alkalescens-Dispar O1, A.-D. O1 var. Koji, A.-D. O2, A.-D. O3, A.-D. O4, A.-D. O5, A.-D. O6, A.-D. O7, and the intermediate serotypes H62 and 6275-52 no one possessed KGA, and likewise one of the two examined E. coli O136 cultures proved to be KGA-negative. In contrast, KGA was found in the dysentery types 147, 792, 185, Sh. guanabara, E. coli O124, E. coli O136 (one strain), E. coli O143, E. coli O144, and E. coli O152, in the Shigella-like serotypes 2044-54 and 1831, in the E. coli serotypes O112a,b:K68 and RUCHMAN, which have been suspected to provoke dysentery but are showing the biochemical behavior of typical E. coli, finally in Alkalescens-Dispar O8, which is known to be apathogenic for mucous membranes. After, all, KGA seems to be a constituent of all dysentery bacilli, but might be absent in individual cultures. On the other hand, KGA exceptionally seems to be found also in Escherichieae types not enteropathogenic for men.