Problem:

Question 1: What is the relationship of coagulase activity to the pathogenicity of Staphylococcus aureus?

Question 2: Why are species of Staphylococcus often found as contaminants of ham and ham products?

Question 3: Why is mannitol salt agar considered a selective as well as differential medium?

Question 4: Suppose that a coagulase test is were performed without a control tube. How would this omission decrease the reliability of the test?

Question 5: Explain how the ability to produce DNase would benefit the pathogenicty of S. aureus.

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