[Production of penicillinase by staphylococcal strains of different origins].

A total of 319 strains of S. aureus and 729 strains of S. epidermidis belonging to different biovars isolated from the skin and nasal mucosa of 349 persons representing 8 independent groups were tested. On the whole production of penicillinase was more often observed in the strains of S. aureus than in the strains of S. epidermidis. Within the first species this property was more often detected in the strains of biovar I as compared to the other biovars. However, the frequency of the penicillinase-producing strains within S. aureus and the biovars of S. epidermidis markedly varied.