title: Comparative studies on group-B streptococci isolated from bovine milk samples in Thuringia and Hesse.
abstract: In this study, 133 streptococci of serological group B, which were isolated from bovine milk samples in Thuringia and Hesse, were serotyped and further characterized. Serotyping of 99 group B streptococci from Thuringia revealed mainly the antigen patterns III, IV, IV/X and NT/X, and serotyping of the cultures from Hesse revealed mainly the antigen patterns IV, IV/X and NT/c alpha. The occurrence of polysaccharide- and protein-type antigens appeared to be related to various other characteristics of the bacteria. A significant relationship was observed among serotype, growth properties of the bacteria in fluid media and soft agar, and the occurrence of pigmentation. In addition, fibrinogen-binding properties of the bacteria and the ability to agglutinate rabbit erythrocytes seemed to be related to specific serotypes of the group-B streptococci. All these data were used to characterize group-B streptococcal isolates individually. This could be of importance in epidemiological studies and might help to explain the process of infection with this micro-organism.
authors.affiliation: Institut für Bakteriologie und Immunologie, Justus-Liebig-Universität Giessen, Germany.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Bopp
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lämmler
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D002418:Cattle Diseases / Q000382:microbiology*; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany; D008892:Milk / Q000382:microbiology*; D011817:Rabbits; D012703:Serotyping / Q000662:veterinary; D013290:Streptococcal Infections / Q000382:microbiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D013292:Streptococcus agalactiae / Q000145:classification / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification*