An inhibitor typing scheme for Streptococcus uberis.

A typing scheme was used to test 15 strains of Streptococcus uberis according to their production of (P-type) and sensitivity to (S-type) bacteriocin-like inhibitory substances. Twelve of the strains were inhibitor producers and nine different P-types were detected. All of the strains were typable according to inhibitor sensitivity, ten different S-types being distinguished. Both the P-type and S-type designations of the strains were reproducible on repeated testing. By combination of P-typing and S-typing, highly discriminatory inhibitor 'fingerprints' of the strains could be obtained. This scheme would appear to have considerable potential for typing isolates of Str. uberis as an aid to investigations into the epidemiology of Str. uberis mastitis in dairy cattle.