Zykov M P, Roulet H
Bull World Health Organ. 1967;37(6):947-51.
The third study in a series on the prevalence of non-tuberculosis mycobacteria in Africa is devoted to the investigation of the formamidase activity of 288 cultures of mycobacteria, already typed by a battery of standard tests as pathogenic or atypical (184 strains) and saprophytic (104 strains). Of the latter, 96 (92.3%) were formamidase-positive, as compared with only 6 (3.3%) of the former. A close correlation was observed between the speed of growth on Löwenstein-Jensen medium and formamidase activity, 98 (96.1%) of the positive strains showing visible growth within 1-3 days. The relation between formamidase activity and growth on nutrient media was less clear-cut, however, and it was concluded that for the routine differentiation of saprophytic from other mycobacteria the formamidase test should be combined with simple tests such as speed of growth on L-J medium and ability to grow on nutrient media. Russel's method and Nessler's reagent for the detection of ammonia in the formamidase test were compared; the authors consider the former to be preferable, since the reaction is easier to read.
非洲非结核分枝杆菌患病率系列研究中的第三项研究致力于调查288株分枝杆菌培养物的甲酰胺酶活性，这些培养物已通过一系列标准试验鉴定为致病性或非典型性（184株）以及腐生性（104株）。在腐生性菌株中，96株（92.3%）甲酰胺酶呈阳性，而致病性或非典型性菌株中只有6株（3.3%）呈阳性。观察到在罗-琴培养基上的生长速度与甲酰胺酶活性之间存在密切相关性，98株（96.1%）阳性菌株在1 - 3天内可见生长。然而，甲酰胺酶活性与在营养培养基上生长之间的关系不太明确，得出的结论是，为了将腐生性分枝杆菌与其他分枝杆菌进行常规区分，甲酰胺酶试验应与简单试验相结合，如在罗-琴培养基上的生长速度和在营养培养基上的生长能力。比较了罗素法和奈斯勒试剂在甲酰胺酶试验中检测氨的情况；作者认为前者更可取，因为反应更容易读取。
