Abstract
Incidence and characteristics of staphylococci in healthy human saliva were studied.
1. In 79 out of 92 volunteers (85.9 %), staphylococci was found out.
2. Major staphylococcal species which were isolated from saliva were S. aureus and S. epidermidis.
3. Sixty one strains of S.aureus were isolated from 49 carriers.
4. Coagulase type II, VII, non-typable (NT) were in high proportions in the saliva strains.
5. Twenty four isolates (39.3 %) produced enterotoxins and 1 (1.6 %) produced TSST-1.
6. Almost saliva strains were sensitive against antimicrobial agents, except for PCG and ABPC, and MIC values were similar to those of methicillin-sensitive S. aureus (MSSA) isolated from a hospital in Tokyo.
7. Methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) strains from the same hospital showed a high resistance to many drugs except for RFP, VCM and ABK.
