Serological classification of Bacillus sphaericus strains on the basis of toxicity to mosquito larvae

Abstract

A toxicity study of 54 Bacillus sphaericus strains isolated from vectors or breeding sites has led to a relatively homogeneous grouping of mosquito pathogenic strains into five H-serotypes among the nine serotypes determined. Each serotype seems to be characterized by a different level of toxicity and a classification of these five serotypes can be made on the basis of this toxicity. Within these serotypes, a scale of toxicity has been tentatively fixed and an arbitrary limit of toxicity suggested.