title: Stabilities of lyophilized Staphylococcus aureus typing bacteriophages.
abstract: Staphylococcus aureus bacteriophages (25 phages) were lyophilized in aliquots 12 to 18 years ago and stored in vacuo at -20 degrees C. Eight viruses each lost one log titer, while seventeen retained the original titers. The use of lyophilized phages provided more reproducible phage typing and reduced by 75% the complexity and cost. This important test is thus made feasible for more laboratories.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Pathology, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892.
authors.forename: C H
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Zierdt
mesh_terms: D001434:Bacteriophage Typing; D005612:Freeze Drying; D011309:Preservation, Biological; D013204:Staphylococcus Phages / Q000254:growth & development*; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000145:classification