Biotyping, serotyping and phage typing of Streptococcus faecalis isolated from dental plaque in the human mouth

Thirty Streptococcus faecalis isolates from mixed dental plaque samples were classified into four groups on the basis of biotype, tetracycline susceptibility, phage type and serotype combinations. The organisms were from patients on haemodialysis, from staff of the dialysis unit, and from controls. Three biotypes were distinguished by seven biochemical tests: production of acid from inositol, sucrose and xylose; rapid or delayed production of acid from sorbitol; gelatin liquefaction; and production of alkaline phosphatase and beta-galactosidase. With a set of eight typing antisera for S. faecalis, 15 strains were non-typable, 12 were serotype 1 and three were serotype 19. With a set of 17 bacteriophages specific for S. faecalis, all of the oral isolates were typable; 40% were lysotype I1 and the remainder lysotype V6b. On the basis of biotype-serotype-phage-type combinations, indications of possible spread of strains between haemodialysis patients and dialysis unit staff were obtained. Biotyping and serotyping of 13 German isolates of S. faecalis of phage type I1 from four clinical sources and tripartite typing of three control strains provided additional evidence for the potential of biotyping in distinguishing between strains of identical serotype and phage type. One oral isolate of S. faecium was of phage type XX. None of the oral isolates of S. faecalis, of which 14 exhibited delayed sorbitol fermentation, reacted with group-G streptococcal grouping reagents or antiserum. Slow sorbitol fermentation does not appear to be a definitive phenotypic marker for S. faecalis strains possessing antigens that react with both group-D and group-G grouping reagents.