Relationship of sodium chloride tolerance and serological group of staphylococcal phages.

Abstract

SUMMARY: Twenty-two staphylococcal bacteriophages representing serological groups A, B, F and L were examined for activity after incubation of free phage in 10 % (w/v) NaCl Trypticase soy broth for 24 hr. at 300. The mean decrease in plaque-forming units for ten phages of serological group A was 13 %; in no instance was inactivation of any group A phage greater than 33 %. All but one of nine group B phages were 88 % or more inactive after incubation in the 10 % NaCl broth; the single exception was phage 83 with slightly more than 40 % inactivation in both 0.5 % or 10 % NaCl broth. Serological group F phage 42D resembled phages of group A, whereas phage 77 of group F and group L phage 187 were intermediate between group A and B phages with respect to NaCl stability.