Identification of Malleomyces by specific bacteriophages.

Malleomyces mallei and Malleomyces pseudomallei are rarely encountered by bacteriologists in this countrv, except in taxonomic studies. Equines are especially susceptible to M. mallei and rodents to M. pseudomallei, but human beings have been known to be infected with either organism, frequently with fatal results (Wilson and Miles, 1955). The causative bacteria cannot always be isolated from patients and, even when cultures are obtained, diagnosis is often confused by the marked similarities between Malleomyces and Pseudomonas species. This point has been stressed by several investigators, including Legroux and Blanc (1943) and Pons (1927). Recently Wetmore and Goehenour (1956) described characteristics which could differentiate Malleomyces and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, but only a few of these characteristics could distinguish between the two genera. Identification of TMalleomyces by means of fluorescent antibody, as reported by Moody et al. (1956) and by Thomason et al. (1956) is an important contribution to this problem. The first report of Malleomyces phage was made by Wolochow and Green (1956), at which time the experiments reported herein were in a preliminary stage. This article describes the isolation, propagation, and evaluation of bacteriophages specifically for purposes of detection and identification of Malleomyces. No effort has been made to investigate the nature of the viruses or of the host-virus interactions.