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Further study of the phages isolated from lysogenic strains of Staphylococcus epidermidis confirms that they are of at least two classes: (1) phages active only on other Staph. epidermidis strains and (2) phages initially active only on Staph. aureus strains but sometimes adaptable to lyse Staph. epidermidis strains. Ten phages of the first class, five adapted phages of the first class and three adapted phages of the second class could all be propagated on strains of Staph. epidermidis of biotype 1. They are all adsorbed by strains of Staph. epidermidis and belong to a single serological group that is distinct from the groups A, B, F and L of Staph. aureus phages.
A provisional set of 18 phages proposed for typing Staph. epidermidis is described and characterised.