Laboratory identification and epidemiology of streptococcal hospital isolates.

A total of 343 streptococcal strains were identified to species on the basis of the progressive method of bacterial identification as advocated by Cowan & Steel's Manual for the Identification of Medical Bacteria. Comparative studies were also performed with these strains to determine the accuracy and feasibility of using various types of blood, differential media, and biochemical tests in conjunction with the progressive method of identification. The streptococcal species were then correlated with the type of specimen, sex, and age of hospitalized patients to obtain some insight into the epidemiology of hospital streptococcal isolates.