BACTERIOIDES FRAGILIS - PRODUCTION AND SENSITIVITY TO BACTERIOCINS

Bacteriocin production and sensitivity to bacteriocins have been succe ssfully applied as an epidemiological tool in several species of bacte ria. However, little work has been carried out on the bacteriocins pro duced by Bacteroides fragilis, which is the most frequently isolated a naerobe species from clinical specimens. Thirty two clinical isolates of B. fragilis grown anaerobically on a 0.22 mu m membrane filter spot ted on an agar plate, were tested for bacteriocin production and used in a screen for bacteriocin sensitivity. Sensitivity to at least one b acteriocin was found in 94% of the strains, 62.5% were sensitive to tw o bacteriocins, whereas 34.4% were sensitive to three or more and fina lly one strain was found sensitive to 17 bacteriocins. Of the strains studied, 94% inhibited at least one strain, 66% inhibited two strains, and 30% inhibited at least three strains or more. Finally, one strain was extremely active by inhibiting the growth of 17 strains. Bacterio cin types are characterised by geographic variation, and their epidemi ological investigation by a simple method could be promoted. (C) 1997 Academic Press.