Skip to main content
Journal of Clinical Microbiology logoLink to Journal of Clinical Microbiology
. 1978 May;7(5):463–466. doi: 10.1128/jcm.7.5.463-466.1978

Bacitracin and coagglutination for grouping of beta-hemolytic streptococci.

R A Stoner
PMCID: PMC275020  PMID: 350895

Abstract

Bacitracin may be used for presumptive differentiation of group A from other beta-hemolytic streptococci. Whatever criteria are used for the test, a small number of erroneous results will be obtained. With the 1,161 strains studied in this laboratory, using a zone of 10 mm or greater as indicative of group A was better than using Maxted's original criterion of any zone of inhibition for group A. Co-agglutination is a preferable alternative to bacitracin testing, providing a grouping result as quickly as the bacitracin test but with the advantage of giving a definite grouping result. With the 247 strains studied so far, coagglutination results have correlated exactly with results of conventional grouping by a precipitin method.

Full text

PDF
463

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Arvilommi H. Grouping of beta-haemolytic streptococci by using coagglutination, precipitation or bacitracin sensitivity. Acta Pathol Microbiol Scand B. 1976 Apr;84(2):79–84. doi: 10.1111/j.1699-0463.1976.tb01906.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Chitwood L. A., Jennings M. B., Riley H. D., Jr Time, cost, and efficacy study of identifying group A streptococci with commercially available reagents. Appl Microbiol. 1969 Aug;18(2):193–197. doi: 10.1128/am.18.2.193-197.1969. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Christensen P., Kahlmeter G., Jonsson S., Kronvall G. New method for the serological grouping of Streptococci with specific antibodies adsorbed to protein A-containing staphylococci. Infect Immun. 1973 Jun;7(6):881–885. doi: 10.1128/iai.7.6.881-885.1973. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Coleman D. J., McGhie D., Tebbutt G. M. Further studies on the reliability of the bacitracin inhibition test for the presumptive identification of Lancefield group A streptococci. J Clin Pathol. 1977 May;30(5):421–426. doi: 10.1136/jcp.30.5.421. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. ESTELA L. A., SHUEY H. E. COMPARISON OF FLUORESCENT ANTIBODY, PRECIPITIN, AND BACITRACIN DISK METHODS IN THE IDENTIFICATION OF GROUP A STREPTOCOCCI. Am J Clin Pathol. 1963 Dec;40:591–597. doi: 10.1093/ajcp/40.6.591. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Ederer G. M., Herrmann M. M., Bruce R., Matsen J. M., Chapman S. S. Rapid extraction method with pronase B for grouping beta-hemolytic streptococci. Appl Microbiol. 1972 Feb;23(2):285–288. doi: 10.1128/am.23.2.285-288.1972. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Facklam R. R., Padula J. F., Thacker L. G., Wortham E. C., Sconyers B. J. Presumptive identification of group A, B, and D streptococci. Appl Microbiol. 1974 Jan;27(1):107–113. doi: 10.1128/am.27.1.107-113.1974. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Hahn G., Nyberg I. Identification of streptococcal groups A,B,C, and G by slide co-agglutination of antibody-sensitized protein A-containing staphylococci. J Clin Microbiol. 1976 Jul;4(1):99–101. doi: 10.1128/jcm.4.1.99-101.1976. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. LEVINSON M. L., FRANK P. F. Differentiation of group A from other beta hemolytic streptococci with bacitracin. J Bacteriol. 1955 Mar;69(3):284–287. doi: 10.1128/jb.69.3.284-287.1955. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. MAXTED W. R. The use of bacitracin for identifying group A haemolytic streptococci. J Clin Pathol. 1953 Aug;6(3):224–226. doi: 10.1136/jcp.6.3.224. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Murray P. R., Wold A. D., Hall M. M., Washington J. A., 2nd Bacitracin differentiation for presumptive identification of group A beta-hemolytic streptococci: comparison of primary and purified plate testing. J Pediatr. 1976 Oct;89(4):576–579. doi: 10.1016/s0022-3476(76)80389-7. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Pollock H. M., Dahlgren B. J. Distribution of streptococcal groups in clinical specimens with evaluation of bacitracin screening. Appl Microbiol. 1974 Jan;27(1):141–143. doi: 10.1128/am.27.1.141-143.1974. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. SCHAUB I. G., MAZEIKA I., LEE R., DUNN M. T., LACHAINE R-A, PRICE W. H. Ecologic studies of rheumatic fever and rheumatic heart disease. I. Procedure for isolating beta hemolytic streptococci. Am J Hyg. 1958 Jan;67(1):46–56. doi: 10.1093/oxfordjournals.aje.a119918. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Journal of Clinical Microbiology are provided here courtesy of American Society for Microbiology (ASM)

RESOURCES