Clinical laboratory evaluation of a system approach to the recognition of nonfermentative or oxidase-producing gram-negative, rod-shaped bacteria.

The Oxi-ferm tube, an eight-compartment system suitable for the recognition of nonfermentative, gram-negative, rod-shaped bacteria, was evaluated in conjunction with the oxidase test in a clinical microbiology laboratory setting. A comparison between this system and the 17-test routine examination was performed with 265 cultures representing 21 species. The results obtained with the Roche systems were supplemented with simple additional tests in accordance with Computer Identification Data rovided by the manufacturer. The Oxi/ferm tube approach worked satisfactorily in establishing the identity of the bacteria isolated from clinical specimens augmented with some representatives from culture collections. Reactions within the Oxi/ferm system were reproducible and comparable to laboratory prepared and controlled substrates.