ANTIMICROBIAL SUSCEPTIBILITIES OF LACTOCOCCUS-LACTIS AND LACTOCOCCUS-GARVIEAE AND A PROPOSED METHOD TO DISCRIMINATE BETWEEN THEM

The MICs of antimicrobial agents contained in the SCEPTOR Streptococcu s MIC panels (Becton Dickinson Microbiology Systems) were determined f or Lactococcus lactis, L. garvieae, and unknown Lactococcus species, S everal isolates had reduced susceptibilities to many of the antimicrob ial agents contained in the panel, For L. garvieae, the MICs of penici llin and, possibly, cephalothin were higher than for L. lactis, and un like L. lactis, L. garvieae was resistant to clindamycin, indicating t hat knowledge of the Lactococcus species causing an infection might in fluence the choice of antimicrobial therapy, Susceptibility to clindam ycin can also be used to differentiate between L. lactis and L. garvie ae.