Human Fc(gamma) receptors for differentiation in throat cultures of group C "Streptococcus equisimilis" and group C "Streptococcus milleri"

The biochemical characteristics and the presence of human Fc(gamma) receptors of 52 throat isolates of group C beta-hemolytic streptococci were examined. Among these isolates, 38 were identified as "Streptococcus milleri" and 14 were identified as "Streptococcus equisimilis." The differentiation of group C "S. equisimilis" from "S. milleri" with identical group antigens was easy to perform by the measurement of the size of the hemolytic zone on a sheep blood agar plate in an anaerobic atmosphere and by biochemical tests (Voges-Proskauer test). A clear-cut criterion for differentiation was noted among these isolates, i.e., the presence of Fc(gamma) receptors. "S. equisimilis," which are generally associated with pharyngitis, possess human Fc(gamma) receptors, while "S. milleri", which are generally isolated from healthy persons, have no such receptors.