Relationship of biotype and source to the hemagglutination and adhesive properties of C. diphtheriae

1. A study was conducted on the hemagglutinating and adhesive properties of sucrose-fermenting and non-sucrose-fermenting Corynebacterium diphtheriae strains. Sheep erythrocytes were agglutinated by 72% of toxigen C. diphtheriae strains and by 87% of nontoxigenic strains, by 67% of the strains isolated from throats and 94% of skin isolates, and by 65% of sucrose-fermenting organisms and 93% of non-sucrose-fermenting strains. 2. Neither presence nor absence of toxin production was correlated with the hemagglutinating property. 3. Different levels of adherence to glass surfaces occurred among C.diphtheriae strains. 4. Strains from skin lesions and of the non-sucrose-fermenting biotype showed strong hemagglutinating activity. 5. In contrast, sucrose-fermenting strains exhibited less hemagglutinating activity, but most of them (71%) were predominantly effective adherers to glass surfaces.