SOURCE AND SIGNIFICANCE OF STREPTOCOCCI IN MARKET MILK

The principal source of streptococci in milk is the cow's udder. The udder streptococci fall into two broad groups; those of the larger group agree in cultural characters and agglutination affinities with mastitis streptococci; the smaller group is composed of low acid-producing streptococci. The streptococci of the latter group produce clear zones of hemolysis about surface and deep colonies in horse blood agar plates. They attack dextrose, lactose, saccharose, and maltose, but do not ferment raffinose, inulin, mannite, or salicin. Acid production in dextrose by the members of this group is about the same as that produced by human streptococci under the same conditions. The limiting hydrogen ion concentration for these pleomorphic udder streptococci in dextrose serum bouillon is within the limits of the limiting hydrogen ion concentration observed by Avery and Cullen for human streptococci. All the streptococci from the vagina, saliva, skin, and feces have been non-hemolytic. Those from the saliva form a heterogeneous aggregation in which individuals fermenting raffinose, inulin, and mannite predominate. From the skin a characteristic streptococcus has been found. It produces acid in dextrose, lactose, saccharose, maltose, raffinose, mannite, and salicin, but fails to acidulate media containing inulin. The fecal streptococci are characterized by the formation of large amounts of acid in dextrose, lactose, saccharose, maltose, raffinose, inulin, and salicin. Mannite is not fermented. Neither the fecal nor the skin streptococci have been isolated from the bottled milk with any great frequency.