[Comparative evaluation of the spectrum of lytic effects of bacteriophages TB, Wb, Fi, BK 2 and R on various Brucella species].

The lytic activity of Brucella phages TB, Wb, Fi, BK2 and R on various Brucella species has been studied. Phage TB has been found to lyse B. abortus, B. suis and B. neotoma, phage Fi has proved to be no different from phage TB, while phage Wb has shown higher activity in respect of B. suis; phage BK2 has been found to lyse B. abortus and, to a lesser extent, B. suis and B. melitensis; phage R has shown low activity, while splitting out phages capable of lysing B. abortus cultures in the S-form. All these phages multiply well in the corresponding indicator strains grown in Martin's broth. The Brucella cultures isolated from myomorphous rodents in the northern foothills of the Caucasus have been found to be similar to B. suis in respect to their spectrum of phage sensitivity, differing from B. suis only by forming smaller negative colonies in the presence of phage Wb.