IV. INVESTIGATION OF C . I>IPIfTHEI
reference strains. Also, taxonomic differentiation between C. ulcerans and
C . ovis was possible.
(c) E9iciency of phage typing in C. ulcerans and C. ovis. All but 1% of the
C. ulcerans and C. ovis strains could be typed and classified in well-defined
“lytic patterns’’ (i.e. phage types) (Fig. 26). Collection strains of different
origins and dates of isolation were typable and their “patterns” were
stable (Table V).
The phage types Ao, IA, IIB2, IVD, IVDI, VE, VIG and VIGl are
specific for C. ulcerans strains; phage types IIBo, IIB1, VIG were found
only within C. ovis. Phage type IIIC was found in both C. ulcerans and C.
ovis, only among toxf strains. The most widespread types are IA, IVD and
IIIC. In man and horses identical phage types were found. Most of the wild
strains isolated in humans occurred in carriers, and only rarely was their
incidence associated with sore throat or tonsillitis. Most of the carriers
were children from rural areas. Among horses, up to 50% were carriers.
A high incidence of C. ulcerans strains (43%) was described by Panaitescu
et al. (1977) among monkeys. The isolated C. ulcerans strains belonged to
different phage types. Most of the strains were classified in phage type
VIG, and were Di-tox-. These animals were imported from Malaysia. Type
IIIC, Di-lox+ was isolated from a clinical case of diphtheria in Maccaca
mulata of Indian origin. The possibility of distinguishing stable types
among strains of different origin, isolated at different times, proves the validity of this test in the characterisation of C. ulcerans and C. ovis. Technical
details of the procedures are described in Section XI.
B. Corynebacterium hofmannii
1. Isolated
Isolated by von Hofmann in 1888.
2. Habitat
In the nasopharynx, in the auditive meatus and on the skin of the face of
healthy individuals, where it lives as a harmless saprophyte. Because of its
frequency it represents the most important diphtheroid with respect to the
microbiological diagnosis of diphtheria.
3 . Morphology
Short rods (1.5-2 pin long) thick, pointed ends, intensely Grampositive, more tenacious of the Gram stain without granules. There is no
tendency to pleomorphism. Bacilli are very regularly arranged in parallel
rows (Fig. 27). The trained observer recognises it without difficulty, but
reference strains. Also, taxonomic differentiation between C. ulcerans and
C . ovis was possible.
(c) E9iciency of phage typing in C. ulcerans and C. ovis. All but 1% of the
C. ulcerans and C. ovis strains could be typed and classified in well-defined
“lytic patterns’’ (i.e. phage types) (Fig. 26). Collection strains of different
origins and dates of isolation were typable and their “patterns” were
stable (Table V).
The phage types Ao, IA, IIB2, IVD, IVDI, VE, VIG and VIGl are
specific for C. ulcerans strains; phage types IIBo, IIB1, VIG were found
only within C. ovis. Phage type IIIC was found in both C. ulcerans and C.
ovis, only among toxf strains. The most widespread types are IA, IVD and
IIIC. In man and horses identical phage types were found. Most of the wild
strains isolated in humans occurred in carriers, and only rarely was their
incidence associated with sore throat or tonsillitis. Most of the carriers
were children from rural areas. Among horses, up to 50% were carriers.
A high incidence of C. ulcerans strains (43%) was described by Panaitescu
et al. (1977) among monkeys. The isolated C. ulcerans strains belonged to
different phage types. Most of the strains were classified in phage type
VIG, and were Di-tox-. These animals were imported from Malaysia. Type
IIIC, Di-lox+ was isolated from a clinical case of diphtheria in Maccaca
mulata of Indian origin. The possibility of distinguishing stable types
among strains of different origin, isolated at different times, proves the validity of this test in the characterisation of C. ulcerans and C. ovis. Technical
details of the procedures are described in Section XI.
B. Corynebacterium hofmannii
1. Isolated
Isolated by von Hofmann in 1888.
2. Habitat
In the nasopharynx, in the auditive meatus and on the skin of the face of
healthy individuals, where it lives as a harmless saprophyte. Because of its
frequency it represents the most important diphtheroid with respect to the
microbiological diagnosis of diphtheria.
3 . Morphology
Short rods (1.5-2 pin long) thick, pointed ends, intensely Grampositive, more tenacious of the Gram stain without granules. There is no
tendency to pleomorphism. Bacilli are very regularly arranged in parallel
rows (Fig. 27). The trained observer recognises it without difficulty, but