[In vitro virulence of wound infecting staphylococcal isolates from severely burned patients].

The hemolysin and histamine releasing activity of 30 S. aureus strains isolated from third degree burns of heavily burned patients was detected. The culture supernatants (cs) of Staphylococcus aureus isolated during episodes of invasive burn wound infection displayed significantly lower amounts of hemolysin and histamine releasing activity as compared to cs of bacteria isolated when no sign of septicemia was present. In contrast, when washed bacterial cells were analysed, a reversed ratio could be observed. These data clearly indicate that in strains isolated during invasive burn wound infection pathogenicity factors remain attached to the bacterial surface of the staphylococci investigated.