A new approach in bacteriology with chromogenic media.

The use of chromogenic or fluorogenic enzyme substrates for the detection, enumeration, and identification of viable bacteria from a sample is described. This method allows detection, enumeration and identification to be performed directly on the isolation plate, thus avoiding the use of subculture media and further biological tests. Tests carried out by using three new media from bioMérieux are described: CPS ID 2 to detect and identify Escherichia coli, Proteus and Enterococcus; SMID to detect Salmonella; and Albicans ID to isolate yeast and identify Candida albicans.