[Biological characteristics of coagulase-negative staphylococci isolated from conjunctivitis].

The biological properties of 101 strains of coagulase-negative staphylococci isolated from conjunctival secretions of conjunctivitis patients, as well as from healthy persons were studied. More than a half of these strains (66%) were identified as Staph. epidermidis. 18% of the strains differed from this species only by the absence of phosphatase activity. The existence of the phosphatase-negative variants of Staph. epidermidis was inferred from this fact. About 1/3 of the cultures could not be identified in accordance with the scheme of the International Subcommittee on the Taxonomy of Staphylococci and Micrococci. The biological activity of the cultures isolated from conjunctivitis patients did not differ from that of the cultures isolated from healthy persons. The frequent occurrence of hemolytic activity in the strains isolated from both conjunctivitis patients and healthy persons was noted (88% and 83%, respectively). The conclusion on the variegated character and lability of the phenotypic characteristics of staphylococci has been made.