Induction of Resistance with Heat-Killed Unencapsulated Strains of Staphylococcus epidermidis against Challenge with Encapsulated Strains of Staphylococcus epidermidis

Active immunization of mice with high doses of heat-killed unencapsulated strains of Staphylococcus epidermidis, which were grown in brain heart infusion media, protected mice against challenge with encapsulated strains of S. epidermidis. The unencapsulated strains were capable of absorbing the protective antibody in rabbit hyperimmune sera prepared with the encapsulated strains. Also, mice treated with rabbit hyperimmune sera prepared with the unencapsulated strains were protected against challenge with the encapsulated strains. The protective activities of these rabbit hyperimmune sera were assumed to be essentially identical to those of the protective antibody induced by the encapsulated strains.