Ecological approach of macrolide-lincosamides-streptogramin producing Actinomyces from Cuban soils

We report in this study the frequency of Streptomyces strains to produce ma crolide-lincosamide-streptogramin (MLS) antibiotics isolated from Cuban soi ls. The screening assay is based on the induction of MLS-resistance phenoty pe in a clinical isolated strain of Staphylococcus aureus S-18. Our results suggest that of 800 Streptomyces strains isolated from different soil samp les, 6% were positives in the screening test used. The ferralitic red soil from Pinar del Rio (north) provided the major percentage (3.6%) of MLS prod ucing strains. The other soil samples tested belonging to Guira de Melena a nd Bauta in Havana, Matanzas City, Topes De Collantes (Villa Clara), and So roa Mountains (Pinar del Rio) hill reached very low percentages.