Published online by Cambridge University Press: 15 May 2009
An investigation into the classification of strains of Shigella sonneiby the method of phage-typing (using unadapted bacteriophages) is described.
829 strains, obtained during 3 years from twelve regions in England (including Monmouthshire) were examined by a standard technique. There were fifty-two outbreaks (involving 587 strains) from which two or more strains were isolated.
Results confirmed the finding by Hammarström in Sweden that such classification was possible, strains falling into twenty phage-types of which thirteen were found more than once. All strains were typable, 74% belonging to the same type. In forty-seven outbreaks the phage-type was uniform, the commonest type occurring in thirty-eight of these. In five outbreaks the phage-type was not uniform.
It is concluded that this method of phage-typing, because of evidence of type instability and because the majority of strains belong to the same phage-type, has little practical value as a routine procedure in the control of Sonne dysentery in this country.