Spontaneous release of mycophages from lysogenic bovine strains.

Mycophages were successfully isolated from lysogenic bovine strains without previous exposure to physical or chemical agents. These mycophages were exposed to 53 mycobacterial strains using ATCC 607 as an indicator strain. These strains included rapidly growing strains, human, bovine, avian, murine and BCG strains of different geographical origin. Mycophages PM/90/69 produced lysis of human bovine, murine, BCG strains and most of the rapidly growing strains; whereas Mycophage V24 was sensitive to some rapidly growing strains only. Avian strains were resistant to both mycophages.