PHAGE TYPING OF STAPHYLOCOCCUS AUREUS FROM BOVINE MASTITIS

A provisional phage set suggested by Davidson for typing of “bovine” Staphylococcus aureus was compared to the international phage set in the typing of 225 strains isolated from bovine mastitis in 61 herds in central Sweden. At RTD 44.9 per cent of the strains were typable with the provisional phage set and 30.7 per cent with the international set. Corresponding figures at 1000 × RTD were 74.7 and 69.8 per cent. With both sets a total typability of 79.1 per cent was achieved. The following phage set proved most useful: 29, 52 A, 84, 3 A, 6, 53, 75, 77, 42 D, 107, 1363/14, 78, S 1, S 6, 883, 54, 71, 81.