SEROLOGICAL TYPING OF STAPHYLOCOCCUS AUREUS. II. TYPING BY SLIDE AGGLUTINATION AND COMPARISON WITH PHAGE TYPING.

Cohen, Jay O. (Communicable Disease Center, Atlanta, Ga.), and P. B. Smith. Serological typing of Staphylococcus aureus. II. Typing by slide agglutination and comparison with phage typing. J. Bacteriol 88:1364-1371. 1964.-Over 700 cultures were typed by both antisera and phages; 15 serotypes accounted for 481 of the cultures. The i factor was found predominantly in phage group II strains, and the n factor was found in group III, whereas the c(1) factor was found in both groups II and III. Factors h, k, and m were found predominantly in groups I and II. Strains of phage type 80/81 were somewhat heterogeneous serologically. When cultures were typed by both phages and antisera, more definitive characterization was possible than with either method alone. Closely related cultures usually exhibited the same serotype and phage type. Phage-nontypable strains were usually typable by serology. A total of 60 different serotypes were observed among 183 phage-nontypable strains.