387. Bacteriophage in typing lactic streptococci

Abstract

1. The present position in the problem of ‘slow’ starter due to phage lysis has been reviewed.2. The sources of some 450 strains of lactic streptococci, collected from a wide field, are given. The methods used in their selection for use as starter together with storage conditions, suitable to maintain their activity, have been discussed.3. The sources from which phages for the lactic streptococci have been obtained and the methods of ‘building up’ a phage of high titre from dairy products, have been discussed. Attempts have been made to isolate phages from pig-faeces, after feeding starter strains to pigs, to adapt phages to strains previously unattacked and to establish interrelationship of the phages and strains of lactic streptococci with phages and strains of enterococci.4. The strains of lactic streptococci have been classified in eleven phage types by modifying a method described for the phage typing of staphylococci. Identification of a type has been based on the reactions of a ‘phage pattern’ and not on the reaction of a single phage. It has not been possible to adapt one phage to lyse all the strains of one type and to replace the several phages on which type identification originally depended but, adapted phages have indicated the subdivision of some types.5. The application of the ‘phage-resistant carrier’ strain phenomenon to phage typing has been investigated. The results have helped in the typing of some strains.6. Phages used in typing the strains have been classified by means of antiphage sera, prepared from a selection of the test phages. On the data presented the majority of the phages were divided into three groups and the results have been discussed with reference to the phage types suggested.7. The significance of phage typing, adaptation of phage and phage carrying in the selection of starter strains has been considered and the best method of applying this information to the control of ‘slowness’ in cheese factories has been discussed.