[Characteristics of the mitogenic activity of different staphylococcal strains]

The mitogens of human peripheral lymphocytes were detected in the metabolic products of 59 out of 71 S. aureus strains. The preparations of S. epidermidis were inactive. When stimulated with filtrates of various S. aureus strains, 72-hour lymphocyte cultures were found to have 0--46% of blasts. Two-year observation of a strain showed its stable mitogenic characteristics. The mitogenic properties of the preparations did not correlate with their coagulase, alpha-toxic, dermonecrotoxic, cytotoxic, enterotoxigenic, neutrophil-stimulating activity and the quantitative content of A protein.