Correlative properties for a differentiation of two Clostridium sordellii phenotypes and their distinction from Clostridium bifermentans.

As the present classification (19) of Clostridium sordellii and C. bifermentans is based on properties which are not conclusive for most of our strains, we investigated 80 strains from various origin of this group regarding 30 selected properties. Four of these properties were correlative and therefore particularly important for a distinct differentiation of the strains investigated: urease activity (U), growth inhibition by 1% mannose (M), arginine deaminase activity (A), and sialidase (EC 3.2.1.18) activity (S). Concerning these four characters three clusters were formed: cluster I was positive for U, M, A, and S and comprised 36 strains including C. sordellii type strain (ATCC 9714T); cluster II was positive for M and S and negative for U and A and comprised twelve strains including strain ATCC 35392; and cluster III was positive for A and negative for U, M, and S and comprised 32 strains including C. bifermentans type strain (ATCC 638T). Only two of the correlative properties (U and S, U and A, A and M, or A and S) needed to be tested to determine the affiliation of any strain of the C. sordellii/bifermentans group to one of the three clusters. Clusters I and II, representing two phenotypes of C. sordellii, can now clearly be distinguished from C. bifermentans. Sialidase formed by cluster I and II strains was inhibited by antibodies produced against cluster I strain sialidase. No cross reaction was found with other clostridial sialidases. Pathogenicity, hitherto considered as one of the distinctive properties of C. sordellii and C. bifermentans, was found with various strains of all the three clusters. Therefore, in the case of an infection caused by these two species, care should be taken as to the pathogenicity especially of C. bifermentans and treatment should be accordingly.