[Biochemical typing as a method of differentiating group B streptococcus].

In epidemiological studies on the group B streptococcus the serological typing is used. The paper present the results of a study on usefulness of biochemical typing for differentiation of the group B streptococcus. For that purpose, 210 strains descended from colonized infants and pregnant women were put to typing with both of mentioned methods. We showed that each of the method distinguishes similar number of biotypes and serotypes. However, ought to be marked that significant number of strains (93.8%) belonged to the three out of eight biochemical types. Similar results were achieved in serological typing, three of the most numerous serotypes contained 81.4% strains. Analysis of the relationship between serological and biochemical types did not reveal statistical association because the strains belonged to various serotypes. Obtained results show that both methods of typing--biochemical and serological, have similar value in differentiation of the strains. The method of biochemical typing is quite simple and can be used in laboratory conditions.