Enhancement of Streptococcal Bacteriophage Lysis by Hyaluronidase

Abstract

IT is well known that most Group A streptococci synthesize hyaluronic acid, which forms the streptococcal capsule, during the early stages of growth, and that mucoid colonies on blood agar are formed by strains that produce considerable amounts of hyaluronic acid. During attempts to propagate bacteriophages active against Group A streptococci, it was found that the organisms which survived and gave secondary growth were invariably mucoid. This observation suggested that the hyaluronic acid capsule might form a barrier between the organism and the bacteriophage and prevent attack. If this were so, then the inclusion of hyaluronidase in the medium might be expected to prevent the formation of a capsule and leave the organism vulnerable to attack by the bacteriophage.