BIOLOGICAL AND SEROLOGICAL STUDIES ON ORAL MYCOPLASMA

Abstract

Twenty strains of Mycoplasma were isolated from healthy human saliva at the frequence of 20/45 individuals anaerobically. But no strains could be isolated aerobically. Biologically, all the isolates were identified with M. salivarium. But they were separated into 2 groups (Group 1 and Group 2), by size of colonies, growth rate, resistance and serological properties. That is, Group 1 was shown to be smaller in size of colonies, later in growth rate, and more labile to heat, carbol and crystal violet than Group 2, and the former was shown to differ serologically from the latter. By the examination of serological relationship between recognized Mycoplasma strains (M. salivarium and M. orale) and the strains isolated in this study, it was demonstrated that the strains of Group 1 (15 of 20 isolates, 75%) and Group 2 (5 of 20 isolates, 25%) were identical with M. orale and with M. salivarium respectively. And it was shown that both M. salivarium and M. orale were common in. habitants in human saliva, and that the differentiation of two species, which has been based mainly on their serological properties, would be also possible by the colony size, by the growth rate and by the resistance against heat, carbol and crystal violet.