This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Reprints and Permissions Copyright Information Books from ASM Press MicrobeWorld Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Lebrun, L Articles by Pillot, J Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Lebrun, L Articles by Pillot, J

 Previous Article  |  Next Article 

J Clin Microbiol. 1986 November; 24(5): 705-707

Human Fc(gamma) receptors for differentiation in throat cultures of group C "Streptococcus equisimilis" and group C "Streptococcus milleri".

ABSTRACT

The biochemical characteristics and the presence of human Fc(gamma) receptors of 52 throat isolates of group C beta-hemolytic streptococci were examined. Among these isolates, 38 were identified as "Streptococcus milleri" and 14 were identified as "Streptococcus equisimilis." The differentiation of group C "S. equisimilis" from "S. milleri" with identical group antigens was easy to perform by the measurement of the size of the hemolytic zone on a sheep blood agar plate in an anaerobic atmosphere and by biochemical tests (Voges-Proskauer test). A clear-cut criterion for differentiation was noted among these isolates, i.e., the presence of Fc(gamma) receptors. "S. equisimilis," which are generally associated with pharyngitis, possess human Fc(gamma) receptors, while "S. milleri", which are generally isolated from healthy persons, have no such receptors.