BIOCHEMICAL DIFFERENCES AMONG HUMAN AND ANIMAL STREPTOCOCCI OF LANCEFIELD GROUP-C OR GROUP-G

Pyogenic streptococci of Lancefield group C or group G from human Or a nimal sources were examined with a view to increasing the number of di agnostic tests useful for their differentiation. Human strains of grou p G produced L-prolyl-L-arginine aminopeptidase but isolates of Strept ococcus equisimilis (group C) did not. Tests for alpha-L-glutamate ami nopeptidase together with fermentation of glycogen or sorbitol disting uished S. dysgalactiae from strains of S. equisimilis isolated from an imals. It was confirmed that fermentation tests were helpful in the st udy of S. equi and S. zooepidemicus and that enzyme reactions helped d istinguish between S. canis and the human strains of group G.