Typing coagulase-positive staphylococci of different origin with Blouse and Meekins' phages

Making use of four experimental Blouse and Meekins' (I) phages 06, 40, 58, and 93, derived from Staphylococcus intermedius strains of canine origin, 631 strains of three coagulase-positive staphylococcal species were typed. The typability was in a great extent dependent on the origin of the tested strains. Of 310 S. aureus strains 23 (7%) at RTD and 45 (15%) at 100 X RTD were typable, all without exception of C biotype from cows and sheep. Of 281 S. intermedius strains 208 (74%) at RTD and 14 (5%) at 100 X RTD were lyzed with the above-mentioned I phages. The typability of the isolates in the nine groups from buzzards, pigeons, rooks, dogs, wild ducks, pheasants, foxes, horses, and mink ranged from 59 to 90%. No special relationship was recorded between the origin of the strains and the phage patterns. When testing 135 S. hyicus subsp. hyicus strains nearly one fifth (19%) of them were typable, for the most part at RTD. On the contrary, all 36 S. hyicus subsp. chromogenes strains were resistant to the used phages. The usefulness of the I phages for classificatory aims was discussed.