An inhibitor typing scheme forStreptococcus uberis

Abstract

SUMMARYA typing scheme was used to test 15 strains ofStreptococcus uberisaccording to their production of (P-type) and sensitivity to (S-type) bacteriocin-like inhibitory substances. Twelve of the strains were inhibitor producers and nine different P-types were detected. All of the strains were typable according to inhibitor sensitivity, ten different S-types being distinguished. Both the P-type and S-type designations of the strains were reproducible on repeated testing. By combination of P-typing and S-typing, highly discriminatory inhibitor ‘fingerprints’ of the strains could be obtained. This scheme would appear to have considerable potential for typing isolates ofStr. uberisas an aid to investigations into the epidemiology ofStr. uberismastitis in dairy cattle.