VIII. METHODS FOR TYPING MYCOBACTERIA
347
problems and methods of procedure were discussed. Among the problems
recognised as requiring concerted efforts of all the laboratories were:
1. The need for more phages with specific activities on strains of all
groups of mycobacteria, especially the pathogenic human, bovine and
avian groups.
2. Media for propagating the phages and for use in the typing tests.
3. More appropriate methods of storing, and especially of shipping
phages to workers in other laboratories.
4. Better criteria for determining and standardizing methods for reporting the extent of lysis, including the routine test dilution (RTD).
I n addition to the problems recognised there were a few positive aspects
presented also.
A new medium (!iquid and solid) had been formulated (Redmond and
Ward, 1966) and tested in several laboratories using comparable methods.
It was considered to be adequate for use in further studies. A small controlled experiment carried out in five countries on the same bacterial strains
and using the same phages had demonstrated that comparable results could
be obtained in laboratories in different countries. Numerous phages that
had been isolated, demonstrated the widespread nature of mycobacterial
phages. Several lysogenic strains of mycobacteria had been found and
temperate phages isolated and studied (Hnatko, 1953; Segawa et al., 1960;
Bowman and Redmond, 1959).
Subsequent meetings of the phage group, with several additions to the
group, have been held in Utrecht (1967), Atlanta (1969), Goteborg (1971),
Montreal (1972), Tokyo (1973), Pisa (1974), 2nd Leicester (1975), Little
Rock (1976), and Paris (1977).
The methods that have been worked out and established as having significant possibilities for phage typing of the mycobacteria have been the
results of co-operative studies and much testing by the several laboratories
involved. I n addition, individuals have performed specific research in the
field thus adding to the possibilities. This is especially true of isolation of
new phages and of morphological and biochemical studies on several of the
phages (Buraczewska et al., 1971, 1972; Jones and White, 1968).
Although various species of mycobacteria were shown as early as 1954
to differ in susceptibility to mycobacteriophages (Froman et al., 1954), the
principal application of this phenomenon did not develop until more than
a decade later. Following their initial discovery by Gardner and Weiser
(1947), increasing numbers of phages were described and studied primarily
for biochemical characteristics, morphology, and methodology of quantitative techniques. Takeya et al. (1959) first reported that when careful
attention was given to the number of phage particles required to produce a
single plaque on a lawn of a mycobacterium, marked differences among
347
problems and methods of procedure were discussed. Among the problems
recognised as requiring concerted efforts of all the laboratories were:
1. The need for more phages with specific activities on strains of all
groups of mycobacteria, especially the pathogenic human, bovine and
avian groups.
2. Media for propagating the phages and for use in the typing tests.
3. More appropriate methods of storing, and especially of shipping
phages to workers in other laboratories.
4. Better criteria for determining and standardizing methods for reporting the extent of lysis, including the routine test dilution (RTD).
I n addition to the problems recognised there were a few positive aspects
presented also.
A new medium (!iquid and solid) had been formulated (Redmond and
Ward, 1966) and tested in several laboratories using comparable methods.
It was considered to be adequate for use in further studies. A small controlled experiment carried out in five countries on the same bacterial strains
and using the same phages had demonstrated that comparable results could
be obtained in laboratories in different countries. Numerous phages that
had been isolated, demonstrated the widespread nature of mycobacterial
phages. Several lysogenic strains of mycobacteria had been found and
temperate phages isolated and studied (Hnatko, 1953; Segawa et al., 1960;
Bowman and Redmond, 1959).
Subsequent meetings of the phage group, with several additions to the
group, have been held in Utrecht (1967), Atlanta (1969), Goteborg (1971),
Montreal (1972), Tokyo (1973), Pisa (1974), 2nd Leicester (1975), Little
Rock (1976), and Paris (1977).
The methods that have been worked out and established as having significant possibilities for phage typing of the mycobacteria have been the
results of co-operative studies and much testing by the several laboratories
involved. I n addition, individuals have performed specific research in the
field thus adding to the possibilities. This is especially true of isolation of
new phages and of morphological and biochemical studies on several of the
phages (Buraczewska et al., 1971, 1972; Jones and White, 1968).
Although various species of mycobacteria were shown as early as 1954
to differ in susceptibility to mycobacteriophages (Froman et al., 1954), the
principal application of this phenomenon did not develop until more than
a decade later. Following their initial discovery by Gardner and Weiser
(1947), increasing numbers of phages were described and studied primarily
for biochemical characteristics, morphology, and methodology of quantitative techniques. Takeya et al. (1959) first reported that when careful
attention was given to the number of phage particles required to produce a
single plaque on a lawn of a mycobacterium, marked differences among