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Effect of Alcohol on Bacterial Hemolysis

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Abstract

Hemolysis of blood agar is broadly used as a diagnostic tool for identifying and studying pathogenic microorganisms. We have recently shown that alcohol vapors can confer hemolytic properties on otherwise nonhemolytic fungi (microbial alcohol-conferred hemolysis; MACH). Until now, this phenomenon has been found in various yeast strains and other fungi, but only in a few bacterial species (e.g., staphylococci). In the current study we (1) determined the extent of the above phenomenon in various Gram-positive and Gram-negative laboratory bacterial strains and in clinical bacterial isolates, (2) validated the observed hemolysis using a quantitative technique, and (3) provided evidence that the observed alcohol-mediated hemolysis may, at least in part, be related to synthesis of hemolytic lipids.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Human Microbiology, Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel

    Natali Shirron, Moshe Korem, Amir Shuster & Mel Rosenberg

  2. Minerva Center, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Ramat Aviv, Israel

    Alicia Leikin-Frenkel

  3. Department of Human Microbiology, Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Ramat Aviv, Israel

    Mel Rosenberg

Authors
  1. Natali Shirron
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  2. Moshe Korem
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  3. Amir Shuster
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  4. Alicia Leikin-Frenkel
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  5. Mel Rosenberg
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Correspondence to Mel Rosenberg.

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Shirron, N., Korem, M., Shuster, A. et al. Effect of Alcohol on Bacterial Hemolysis. Curr Microbiol 57, 318–325 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00284-008-9196-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00284-008-9196-7

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