Timiryazev Agricultural Academy, Mechnikov Research Institute for Vaccines and Sera, Moscow, Russia
The present investigation was based on information on the frequent isolation of K.planticola, inhabiting soil and water ecosystems, from respiratory tract secretions, urine, wound surface and other clinical material in infectious pathology of humans. The comparative study of the main immunobiological properties of K.planticola strain TCXA 91 and K.pneumoniae strain 204 was carried out. The strains were equally virulent for white mice, the infective dose being about 100x106 when introduced intraperitoneally in 0.4% agar. These strains exhibited protective cross activity in the animals challenged with K.pneumoniae virulent strain K16. The survival rates of mice for K.planticola TCXA 91 and K.pneumoniae 204 were, respectively, 60% and 70%, the death rate of the control animals being 100%. For the first time K.pneumoniae 204 was found capable of stimulating the growth of lawn grasses in the presence of sodium chloride. The results were evaluated by the germination of seeds, the length of the plantlet and the root. The data obtained in this study are indicative of the similarity of the immunobiological properties of K.planticola TCXA 91 and K. pneumoniae 204.
Zh. Mikrobiol. (Moscow), 2005, No. 3, P. 11—15