Skip to main content
NCBI home page
Journal of Clinical Microbiology logoLink to Journal of Clinical Microbiology
. 1989 Oct;27(10):2309–2315. doi: 10.1128/jcm.27.10.2309-2315.1989

Methods for identification of flavobacteria.

M J Pickett 1
PMCID: PMC267015  PMID: 2685029

Abstract

Published reports disagree on the best features for detecting and distinguishing between Flavobacterium meningosepticum (biovar IIa) and Flavobacterium species CDC group IIb (biovar IIb; Flavobacterium indologenes). This report discloses that at least some of these disagreements may reflect the methods used. To detect production of indole, a modified Kovács reagent (not Ehrlich) and a buffered tryptophan medium were optimal, but not all strains of these two biovars produced indole. To distinguish the two biovars, hydrolysis of corn starch was preferable to that of soluble potato starch. Both biovars may hydrolyze DNA; the differentiation achieved varied with the methods used. Both biovars presented pigmented growth; only IIb, however, was obviously pigmented on a 2-day blood agar plate. Acidification of D-arabinose definitively distinguished these two biovars; several additional features were useful but not definitive.

Full text

PDF
2309

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Bruun B. Contributions to the taxonomy of the genus Flavobacterium. Dan Med Bull. 1988 Aug;35(4):379–393. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Carlone G. M., Valadez M. J., Pickett M. J. Methods for distinguishing gram-positive from gram-negative bacteria. J Clin Microbiol. 1982 Dec;16(6):1157–1159. doi: 10.1128/jcm.16.6.1157-1159.1982. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Christensen W. B. Urea Decomposition as a Means of Differentiating Proteus and Paracolon Cultures from Each Other and from Salmonella and Shigella Types. J Bacteriol. 1946 Oct;52(4):461–466. doi: 10.1128/jb.52.4.461-466.1946. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Fellers C. R., Clough R. W. INDOL AND SKATOL DETERMINATION IN BACTERIAL CULTURES. J Bacteriol. 1925 Mar;10(2):105–133. doi: 10.1128/jb.10.2.105-133.1925. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. GABRIEL S., GADEBUSCH H. H. Modified stable Kovacs' reagent for the detection of indol. Am J Clin Pathol. 1956 Nov;26(11):1373–1375. doi: 10.1093/ajcp/26.11_ts.1373. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Holmes B. Identification and distribution of Flavobacterium meningosepticum in clinical material. J Appl Bacteriol. 1987 Jan;62(1):29–41. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2672.1987.tb02378.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. ISENBERG H. D., SUNDHEIM L. H. Indole reactions in bacteria. J Bacteriol. 1958 Jun;75(6):682–690. doi: 10.1128/jb.75.6.682-690.1958. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. James A. L., Yeoman P., Rasburn J. W., NG M. Sensitive reagents for detection of indole production by bacteria. Zentralbl Bakteriol Mikrobiol Hyg A. 1986 Aug;262(2):195–202. doi: 10.1016/s0176-6724(86)80020-7. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. KING E. O., WARD M. K., RANEY D. E. Two simple media for the demonstration of pyocyanin and fluorescin. J Lab Clin Med. 1954 Aug;44(2):301–307. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. LJUTOV V. Technique of indole test. Acta Pathol Microbiol Scand. 1959;46:349–360. doi: 10.1111/j.1699-0463.1959.tb01106.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Moss C. W., Dees S. B. Cellular fatty acids of Flavobacterium meningosepticum and Flavobacterium species group IIb. J Clin Microbiol. 1978 Dec;8(6):772–774. doi: 10.1128/jcm.8.6.772-774.1978. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Müller H. E. Production and degradation of indole by gram-negative bacteria. Zentralbl Bakteriol Mikrobiol Hyg A. 1986 Feb;261(1):1–11. doi: 10.1016/s0176-6724(86)80058-x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Owen R. J., Lapage S. P. A comparison of strains of King's group IIb of Flavobacterium with Flavobacterium meningosepticum. Antonie Van Leeuwenhoek. 1974;40(2):255–264. doi: 10.1007/BF00394383. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Rasoamananjara D., Turlot J. C., Monteil H. Identification of Flavobacterium strains by gas liquid chromatographic analysis of volatile fatty acids produced in culture. Ann Inst Pasteur Microbiol. 1988 Jul-Aug;139(4):411–419. doi: 10.1016/0769-2609(88)90104-4. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Richard C., Monteil H. Isolement, identification, signification clinique des espèces du genre Flavobacterium. Ann Biol Clin (Paris) 1983;41(3):187–198. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. Schreier J. B. Modification of deoxyribonuclease test medium for rapid identification of Serratia marcescens. Am J Clin Pathol. 1969 Jun;51(6):711–716. doi: 10.1093/ajcp/51.6.711. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. Sutter V. L., Carter W. T. Evaluation of media and reagents for indole-spot tests in anaerobic bacteriology. Am J Clin Pathol. 1972 Sep;58(3):335–338. doi: 10.1093/ajcp/58.3.335. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. von Graevenitz A. Deoxyribonuclease-indole medium and its use in an identification system for non-lactose fermenting gram-negative rods. Ann Clin Lab Sci. 1973 Jul-Aug;3(4):284–288. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Journal of Clinical Microbiology are provided here courtesy of American Society for Microbiology (ASM)

RESOURCES