Phage-typing of Staphylococcus aureus from cases of bacteraemia.

Isolates of Staphylococcus aureus from 98 cases of bacteraemia from 16 different hospitals were phage-typed. Fifty-six isolates were associated with sporadic infections and 42 with hospital outbreaks. In the sporadic cases, group I strains, particularly types 29, 52, or 29/52, were very frequent (39.2%), followed by non-typable strains. Type 94/96 was also common (14.2%). In hospital outbreaks, mixed I and III strains (multiply-resistant) were found in 73.6% and non-typable strains in 21.4%.