Differential typing of Salmonella agona: type divergence in a new serotype.

An international collection of 419 isolates of Salmonella agona was phage typed, biotyped and colicine typed. Of 16 recognized phage types, 15 were represented. Three phage types (I, V and XVI) accounted for 84% of all isolates, were widely distributed and may be interconvertible. Biotyping afforded little type differentiation; thus 92.6% of the isolates belonged to biotype 1 a. A rhamnose non-fermenting variant line (of biotype 5a) became established in Zaire from 1979 to 1980. A maltose late-fermenting line of biotype 1 a, isolated in Scotland in 1974, did not thereafter become established. Two Col+ lines (producing colicine I b) accounted for 45 of 68 colicinogenic isolates. The implication of type diversification and the phylogenetic significance of these findings are discussed.