MULTIFACTORIAL ANALYSIS OF ANTIBIOTIC-SENSITIVITY OF BORDETELLA-BRONCHISEPTICA ISOLATES FROM GUINEA-PIGS, RABBITS AND RATS

The possible relationship between antibiotic sensitivity of B. bronchi septica isolates and host species was examined. Growth inhibition of 1 1 B. bronchiseptica isolates from guineapigs, 7 from rabbits and 3 fro m rats by a variety of antibiotics incorporated in paper disks, was te sted. To seek possible relationships among the various antibiotic sens itivities, we submitted our datamatrix to principal component analysis and subsequently to cluster analysis. This approach showed the existe nce of close clustering as well as highly specific antibiotic sensitiv ities. In order to test the presumed relationship between antibiotic s ensitivity profiles of the B. bronchiseptica isolates and host species of origin, the same datamatrix was submitted to discriminant analysis . Antibiotic sensitivity profiles of the isolates were not clearly rel ated to host species.