[Adhesive properties of lactobacilli isolated from the human gastrointestinal tract]

The adhesive and hemagglutinating properties of 34 tribes of Lactobacillus have been examined. 21 tribes came from human saliva and feces. 23.5% of the tribes showed strongly, 50% weakly adhesive properties. The remaining tribes showed average effects. Most of the strongly adhering tribes were isolates from human specimens. In the group of weakly adhering tribes those from collections dominated. 4 of 9 examined species differed in their adhering capacity. These were L. acidophilus, L. salivarius, L. casei, and L. fermentum. Only weakly adhering tribes showed hemagglutination of human erythrocytes. Therefore, there exists obviously, a reversed relation between the adhering and the hemagglutinating properties of Lactobacilli.