[Characteristics of the antimicrobial activity of lysozyme]

The antibacterial effect of lysozyme manufactured in the USSR was studied with respect to 1496 pathogenic strains of different microbial species. It was found that the percentage of the organisms sensitive to lysozyme among the total number of the microbes tested was not high and ranged within 1.5-3 except streptococci (21.7 per cent). Significant differences in the minimum bacteriostatic concentration (from 0.0006 to 10 mg/ml) with respect to both different microbial species and organisms belonging to the same microbial species were found. By the level of the antibacterial activity the Soviet lysozyme was not inferior to the Italian preparation. With respect to streptococci the Soviet lysozyme was more active.