PATHOGENETIC ASPECTS OF THE HYALURONIDASE ACTIVITY OF PROTEUS-MIRABILIS

The hyaluronidase activity of 83 P. mirabilis strains has been studied. The strains isolated from patients with chronic urologic infection possess the highest hyaluronidase activity, while the activity of strains isolated in cases of enteric disturbances and from purulent wound exudate has proved to be considerably lower, the difference between the latter being statistically insignificant. The hyaluronidase activity of P. mirabilis may be increased when the culture is grown in the presence of blood serum, and in strains isolated from internal organs an increase in hyaluronidase activity and the production of slime-like substance by bacterial cells can be observed. After the parenteral infection of animals with paired strains differing in their hyaluronidase' activity differences in the course of infection were noted.