Beta-D-Glucuronidase activity among prototrophic and auxotrophic variants of Escherichia coli and other Enterobacteriaceae commonly implicated in urinary tract infections.

Glucuronidase (GUD) activity of 102 prototrophic, 91 cysteine-requiring, and 19 thymidine-requiring strains of Escherichia coli was examined using growth from MacConkey, CLED, and enriched brain heart infusion (BHI) agars. After 24 h incubation, GUD activity was detected in 92%-96% of prototrophic strains and a similar proportion of thymidine-requiring strains with most reactions detectable in shorter incubation periods. GUD activity among strains requiring cysteine was significantly less than that found amongst prototrophic strains. The effects of different sources of inocula were evident in the shorter incubation periods. Other strains of the Enterobacteriaceae and oxidative strains frequently implicated in urinary tract infection were also tested. Here, positive reactions were detected among Citrobacter and Enterobacter spp. and a strain of Klebsiella oxytoca, but only after 24 h incubation. GUD activity was not detected among the oxidative strains tested under the same conditions. Although an incubation time of 24 h is necessary to detect activity in a small number of "slow hydrolyzing" E. coli, the increased sensitivity thus attained compromises the specificity of the test for this organism by simultaneously enhancing detection of the enzyme in other enterobacteria.