Biotyping of bacterial isolates using the yeast killer system.

Forty-four presumptive killer yeasts were tested against bacterial isolates, including rapid-growing gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria, as well as slow-growing bacteria, such as the mycobacteria. A killer system, based on the patterns of bacterial susceptibility to the action of nine selected killer yeasts, was developed for epidemiological purposes. The killer system, previously standardized for yeasts and hyphomycetes, was adapted to the specific growth conditions of the bacterial isolates. The results obtained confirm that susceptibility to the yeast killer phenomenon is widespread among microorganisms unrelated to yeasts and that it could form the basis for a convenient and adaptable biotyping method in microbiological laboratories.