Preferential phagocytosis of bacteria in mixed cultures by buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) neutrophils

Abstract

Comparative'phagocytic activity ofbuffalo blood neutrophils incubated simultaneodv with ~u r e and mixed cultures of Escherichia cdi. Staphylococcus aureus, &d strepcrgtdudue was studied. Flmgo&iC activity for pure bacterial cultures of Staph. aureua, Strep. agahctiae and E. d i were 90.8%, 86.4% and 76.246, respectively. The percent phagocytosis of neutrophils incubated with mixed bacterial cultures was similar to that with pure bacterial cuhres. However. with mixed bacterial cdtures. a maioritv of heutrophils showed preferential ihagocytosia of one species of ba-&ria: l%urc, neutrophds incubated with a mixed bacterial culture ofE. mli and Staph. a m showed a significantly higher phagocytosis of Staph rrureus, with a per cent phagocytosia of approximately 40%. Neutrophils incubated with a mixed bacterial culture of E. coli and Strep. walactiue showed a significantly higher --phagocyt~sia of Strep. ag&tiae, G t h apercent phagoqtnsi~of appmximat+ly 33%. These observations indicate that when buffalo neutrophils are exposed to a mixed bacterial culture the &ity for phagocytizingE. &li was much lees in the presence of Staph. aurells than in the presence of Strep. agalactiae. Key w o r k Buffalo, mixed bacterial cultures, neutmphil, pha@xybsis.