[Evaluation of the coagglutination method for the identification of beta-haemolytic streptococci. (author's transl)]

In order to evaluate comparatively the methods so for available for the identification of beta-haemolytic streptococci, the following tests were carried out on 120 strains recently isolated from clinical materials: bacitracin-test, precipitation and coagglutination methods. The results obtained indicated a poor reliability of the bacitracin test, even if only restricted to the identification of the group A streptococci, as opposed to the good reliability of coagglutination and precipitation methods, which allow the identification either of group A or groups B, C and G, the latter well know to the often involved in infectious diseases. Evidences so far obtained point to the coagglutination method as the most suitable for routine diagnostic and furthermore stress the rapidity and the facility of its use.