Antagonistic action of Streptococcus salivarius and Streptococcus faecalis to Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

Streptococcus salivarius and Streptococcus faecalis were found to inhibit the growth of Mycobacterium tuberculosis on Löwenstein-Jensen and Middlebrook 7H11 agars, but not on the latter medium when antibacterial drugs were added. S. faecalis was found to be more inhibitory than S. salivarius to 15 strains of M. tuberculosis. S. salivarius produced little or no inhibition of growth of Runyon group III organisms but was very antagonistic to Runyon group I mycobacteria.