[Correlation between the output of enterotoxins and heat-stable nuclease by Staphylococcus aureus strains isolated...

Enterotoxins and thermostable DNase were found to occur concurrently in 94% of Staphylococcus aureus strains isolated during staphylococcal food intoxications. The presence of thermostable DNase in the absence of enterotoxin was detected in 45.6% of the strains isolated from food and in 28.8% of the strains isolated from the nasopharynx of clinically normal people undergoing scheduled examinations. Thermostable DNase was detectable more consistently than enterotoxin which seems likely to be produced only under special conditions. The presence in food of thermostable DNase alone, as revealed by sanitary and bacteriological examination, does not always suggest the presence of thermostable DNase is more closely associated with the staphylococcal strains which are isolated from the found in the food itself, giving rise to staphylococcal food intoxications.