SUSCEPTIBILITY TO DESFERRIOXAMINES AND OTHER CHELATORS OF COAGULASE-NEGATIVE STAPHYLOCOCCI

A total of 233 staphylococci and micrococci belonging to 17 species we re tested for their susceptibility to desferrioxamines B, G and E, res pectively. Using an agar diffusion method on iron poor media, all of t he S. epidermidis, 12 out of 22 S. hominis and 5 out of 22 S. capitis strains were susceptible to desferrioxamines. Among the S. capitis str ains tested, two of them were susceptible to desferrioxamine E and res istant to desferrioxamines B and G. All other staphylococci and microc occi tested were resistant to desferrioxamines B, G and E. Different s usceptibility to 5 mM ethylenediaminedi-(o-phenylacetic acid) as an ar tificial chelator demonstrated the existence of additional iron-supply ing systems in staphylococci and micrococci.