Urinary Excretion of Vi-Phage and B. typhosus Following Phage-Inoculation in a Typhoid Carrier

Summary

Following subcutaneous and intramuscular infections of a Vi-phage and a non-specific antityphoid phage in a urinary typhoid carrier, only the Vi-phage appeared in the urine in amounts greater than those administered. The numbers of B. typhosus in the urine were transiently decreased as the result of phage-treatment but increased again considerably with the appearance of W-form and lysogenic V-forms in addition to the typical V-forms which had been persistently present. The presence of W- and lysogenic V-forms was attributed to the action of V-phage in the bladder-urine and the presence of the V-form organisms due to the intermittent discharge of organisms from a focus in which the action of the Vi-phage was probably inhibited. At the same time specific antibodies against both phages were developed in the blood. The type-specificity of the phage and bacteriophagic typing of the Vi-form organisms repeatedly isolated from the urine remained constant.