Group (species)-specific soluble antigen and type (strain)-specific particle antigen of Rickettsia orientalis (Gilliam, Karp and Kato strains) were obtained simultaneously by ether extraction of yolk sac suspension previously treated with Amberlite XE-64.
The infected yolk sac suspension was partially purified by differential centrifugation and Amberlite XE-64 treatment, and then extracted with cold anaesthetic ether. The obtained aqueous layer was centrifuged at 10, 000rpm for 30min, and its supernatant fluids were concentrated by ultrafiltration with Visking tube until one fourth (Giliam and Karp) or one eighth (Kato) the weight of the original yolk sacs after dialysis with veronal. buffered saline (pH 7.3) for 18hrs. On the other hand, the sediments obtained from the auqueous layer by centrifugation were washed again with veronal buffered saline after that it was resuspended in a volume of veronal buffered saline equal to one fourth (Gilliam and Karp) or one eighth (Kato) the weight of the original yolk sacs.
The complement-fixing titers of soluble antigens thus obtained were 16-128 units in Gilliam strain and 16-64 units in Karp and Kato strains against homologous mouse antiserums. The titers of particle antigens were 8-32 units in Gilliam strain and 4-8 units in Karp and Kato strains.
As the results of cross complement fixation test with both soluble and particle antigens against mouse antiserums from each strain, soluble antigen was group (species)-specific and particle antigen showed to have type (strain) specificity.
The complement-fixing titer of soluble antigen was almost completely destroyed by heating at 80°C for 30 min, but particle antigen could not be inactivated by the exposure to 100°C for 30 min. Both soluble and particle antigens were not inactivated by trypsin and phosphatide acyl-hydrolase (phospholipase A, Cobra venom). Soluble antigen was partially inactivated by periodic oxidation, but particle antigen was resistant to periodate. No influence was observed with the complement-fixing titers of both antigens on lyophilization.

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Researches on scarlet fever were adopted in 1965 as their study-subject by the Study Team for Promotion of Medical Care (in the Ministry of Health and Welfare) of which we joined them as a participant to perform agglutination typing of hemlytic streptococci, the causative organism. Other participating hospitals were: Ebara-, Komagome-, Toshima-, Manji-, Higashishimin- and Momoyama Hospitals. In succession with the previous international survey, from June 1965 to February 1966, 287 strains of Group-A streptococci from the same number of patients were collected and were typed according to the method of Streptococcus & Staphylococcus Reference Laboratory in London.
Of the 21 possible types were actually detected the following 8 types with additional two patterns. The types, number of strains and their percentage (incidence rate) are: Tl, 29 strains (10%); T4, 122 strains (42.6%); T6, 65 strains (22.7%); T8, 4 strains; T11, 1 strain; T12, 13 strains (4.5%); T14, 1 strain; T22, 22 strains (7.7%); 8/25, 2 strains; 5/27/44, 4 strains; Untypable, 21 strains (7.3%) and three contaminated strains. The preponderance of type 4 was still exhibiting as was in the previous international survey. However, the marked progression of type 6 was remarkably noticed in particular in Kansai districts. In view of the aspect whether the alteration of the predominant type might take place in the near future, further observations are to be recommended.

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Vibrio parahaemolyticus is an important causative organism in food poisoning during the summer in japan. No report has, however, been made on sensitivity of the organism to various drugs. To select therapeutic agents for enteritis due to Vibrio parahaemolyticus, drug-sensitivity of the Vibrio was tested. At the same time Vibrio El- Tor strain was also examined for drug-sensitivity and comparison was made between patterns of the drug-sensitivity of both organisms. Experiments were carried out using 860 strains of Vibrio parahaemolyticus, 17 strains of Vibrio alginolyticus and 100 strains of Vibrio El-Tor.
The results obtained are as follows:
1) Nalidixic acid (NA), Demethylchlortetracycline, Tetracycline (TC) and Chloramphenicol (CP) showed marked antimicrobial activity against V. El-Tor, MIC of Streptomycin (SM) and Kanamycin (KM) being about 12.5 mcg per ml. Among agents of nitrofuran series, Dihydroxy-methyi-furatrizine (FT) was noted to have the most remarkable antimicrobial activity.
2) Against Vibrio parahaemolyticus FT was most effective being followed by CP, TC and NA in order.
3) Both SM and KM which were found to be inhibiotry to some extent against the growth of V. El-Tor showed a remarkably low antimicrobial activity against V. parahemolyticus. A distinct difference was observed between them about sensitivity to these drugs.
4) Also against the both organisms Colistin was definitely less effective.
5) Drug-sensitivity of V. parahaemolyticus had no relation to the bacterial type. In addition, no difference in drug-sensitivity was observed between V. parahaemolyticus and V. alginolyticus.

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