Single phage-typing set for differentiating salmonellae.

A phage-typing system is described for characterizing commonly isolated salmonellae. Fifty-eight serovars representative of groups A, B, C1, C2, D, E1, E2, E3, and E4 were delineated by using a single set of 50 phages isolated from sewage. All of the 735 cultures used in this effort were typable and were distinguished and differentiated on the basis of the 347 phage patterns observed. All results were reproducible. Characteristic phage patterns were produced by a variety of Salmonella serovars isolated from a campus incident and a number of hospital and family outbreaks to indicate an existing epidemiological relationship.