[Diagnostic value of the acid production from galacturonate to differentiate strains of "Salmonella" sub-genus I and monophasic sub-genus III from the other "Salmonella" strains belonging to sub-genera II, diphasic III, IV, "Citrobacter" and "Hafnia alvei" (author's transl)].

Two methods were compared: (1) the ability to use sodium glacturonate as source of carbon and energy in defined medium; (2) the ability to produce acid by fermentation of this substrate in peptone water with phenol red. Results of growth on, acid formation from, galacturonate are identical. Salmonella strains of sub-genus I and monophasic serotypes of sub-genus III do not use galacturonate. Salmonella of sub-genera II and IV as well as diphasic serotypes of sub-genus III use galacturonate. Glacturonate-negative Salmonella are isolated mainly from man and warm-blooded animals whereas galacturonate-positive Salmonella are most often isolated from cold blooded animals and from the enrivonment. Citrobacter and Hafnia alvei which may be confused with Salmonella spp. are galacturonate-positive.