Bacteriophage typing of Mycobacterium tuberculosis strains isolated in South East England

The species Mycobacterium tuberculosis may be subdivided by its susceptibility to lysis by bacteriophages. In this study 300 strains have been typed with six phages to determine the prevalence of various phage types in South East England. The distribution of the phage types is considered in relation to the patients' racial origins and the clinical presentation of disease, whether pulmonary or extrapulmonary. The technical aspects of phage typing are described and modifications of existing techniques are discussed.