Evaluation of a test kit (Oxi/Ferm system) for identification of oxidase positive gram negative neoenteropathogenic bacteria.

During recent years a number of oxidase positive gram negative bacteria have been implicated as causative agents of outbreaks of acute diarrhoeal disease and food-poisoning in many parts of the world. As taxonomic positions of many of them are not yet well-defined, their identification is often difficult and time consuming. This Oxi/Ferm tube system was evaluated in relation to the conventional battery of tests with 128 organisms isolated from different sources in various parts of the world. About 72% of them, comprising strains of 6 species, could be identified in this system at the species level. The Group "F" vibrios were identified as Aeromonas hydrophila in the Oxi/Ferm system. A few additional tests in the kit is are recommended to facilitate accurate identification of various species including group F vibrios. The convenient Oxi/Ferm tube system will then be very useful for the medical, veterinary, fishery, water and industrial microbiologists for rapid and easy identification of these microorganisms which are of importance to all of them, as opposed to the conventional test system.