[Hemolytic properties of bacteria from the genus Acinetobacter]

Hemolytic activity of 370 strains of Acinetobacter was investigated. They represented species A. baumanii (195), A. junii (70), A. lwofii (71) and A. haemolyticus (27) and were isolated from hospitalized patients. Direct and intermediate hemolysins were tested in the plate test with application of human, sheep, bovine and rabbit blood, incubating cultures at 22 and 37 degrees C for 3 days. Hemolysins of A. lwoffii were more active at 22 degrees C against rabbit and sheep erythrocytes. Direct hemolysins produced by remaining species of Acinetobacter hemolyzed most easily human erythrocytes. Out of 27 strains of A. haemolyticus, 26 produced hemolysins. Intermediate hemolysins, produced only by A. junii (43% of strains) and A. haemolyticus (37%), were active only against animal erythrocytes. A. baumanii and A. lwofii produced only intermediate hemolysins and percentage of strains producing them was, respectively, 3.6 and 7.0.