Bacteriocin (Marcescin) typing of clinical isolates of Serratia marcescens

A simple, reproducible technique is described for bacteriocin typing of clinical isolates of Serratia marcescens. With 10 marcescin-producer strains, a total of 46 of 50 isolates (92%) of S. marcescens could be typed and categorized into 16 provisional types according to their sensitivity or tolerance to marcescins. The potential significance of this procedure with regard to delineation of outbreaks of nosocomial infection is discussed on the basis of preliminary epidemiological data.