Streptococcus: Antibiotic sensitivity tests
The bacitracin and optochin sensitivity tests are utilized to identify
Streptococcus pyogenes
and
Streptococcus pneumoniae, respectively. Only these two species of
Streptococcus are
sensitive to the respective antibiotics when the test is performed. Both are primarily human pathogens
that are not likely to be encountered in veterinary practice except from primates.
Note the zone of inhibition surrounding the bacitracin disk on the bottom of the slide. This indicates
that the organism is sensitive to bacitracin.
