Resistotyping is based on differences in the resistance of strains of a given species to a selection of chemicals used at critical concentrations. The method was applied to Staphylococcus aureus and the patterns of response were used for epidemiological enquiry. Amongst the chemicals used were metals, and these markers showed the plasmid-associated instability already known from genetic studies. Generally the resistotypes obtained and the phage-typing patterns gave parallel information. There were examples of staphylococcal outbreaks, however, in which resistotyping amplified or clarified the findings indicated by phage-typing patterns. Conversely, in other instances phage-typing patterns subdivided a common resistotype. This investigation confirms the validity of resistotyping as a method of epidemiological tracing applicable to widely differing bacterial species.
BarberM.1949; The incidence of penicillin-sensitive variant colonies in penicillinase-producing strains of Staphylococcus pyogenes. J. gen. Microbiol 3:274
DykeK. G. H.,
ParkerM. T.,
RichmondM. H.1970; Penicillinase production and metal-ion resistance in Staphylococcus aureus cultures isolated from hospital patients. J. med. Microbiol 3:125
ParkerM. T.1972; Phage typing of Staphylococcus aureus. In Methods in microbiology edited by
NorrisJ. R.,
RibbonsD. W.
vol 7B: p 1 London and New York:
RichmondM. H.,
JohnM.1964; Co-transduction by a Staphylococcal phage of the genes responsible for penicillinase synthesis and resistance to mercury salts. Nature 202:1360
Subcommittee on phage-typing of staphylococci of the International Commission on Nomenclature of Bacteria1967; Report of meeting, Moscow, July 1966. Int. J. syst. Bact 17:113