Group and type distribution of beta-haemolytic streptococcus strains in Belgrade, Yugoslavia, 1973-1980

Group and type differentiation by Griffith' method of agglutination was performed on 7514 haemolytic streptococcal strains isolated from patients with acute streptococcal infections. Thirteen different groups were found--the most frequent were groups A (63.0%), B (12.5%), C (8.1%) and G(2.5%). The group A was predominant among strains isolated from upper respiratory tract, but in later years the frequency of group A strains among streptococci causing respiratory infections was significantly lower. In every year of the study period the most prevalent group A types were T1, T2, T4, T12 and T28--only their relative distribution was changing in the course of time.