Abstract
Escherichia coli is the most common gram-negative microbe isolated and identified in clinical microbiology laboratories. It can be identified within 1 h by oxidase, indole, lactose, and beta-glucuronidase tests. The oxidase and indole tests are performed as spot tests, and lactose fermentation is read directly from MacConkey agar. It was found that 4-methylumbelliferyl-beta-D-glucuronide could be incorporated directly into a modified MacConkey agar to directly detect the presence of beta-glucuronidase. Other characteristics of MacConkey agar were not affected. The incorporation of 4-methylumbelliferyl-beta-D-glucuronide into modified agar obviated the need for manufacture, quality control, and incubation of reagent-containing test tubes. The time needed to identify E. coli strains was reduced from 1 h to 5 min, and the ability to detect this species in mixed specimens was also enhanced.
Full text
PDF
Selected References
These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.
- BUEHLER H. J., KATZMAN P. A., DOISY E. A. Studies on beta-glucuronidase from E. coli. Proc Soc Exp Biol Med. 1951 Apr;76(4):672–676. doi: 10.3181/00379727-76-18591. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Dahlén G., Linde A. Screening plate method for detection of bacterial beta-glucuronidase. Appl Microbiol. 1973 Dec;26(6):863–866. doi: 10.1128/am.26.6.863-866.1973. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Edberg S. C., Trepeta R. W. Rapid and economical identification and antimicrobial susceptibility test methodology for urinary tract pathogens. J Clin Microbiol. 1983 Dec;18(6):1287–1291. doi: 10.1128/jcm.18.6.1287-1291.1983. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Feng P. C., Hartman P. A. Fluorogenic assays for immediate confirmation of Escherichia coli. Appl Environ Microbiol. 1982 Jun;43(6):1320–1329. doi: 10.1128/aem.43.6.1320-1329.1982. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Kilian M., Bülow P. Rapid diagnosis of Enterobacteriaceae. I. Detection of bacterial glycosidases. Acta Pathol Microbiol Scand B. 1976 Oct;84B(5):245–251. doi: 10.1111/j.1699-0463.1976.tb01933.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Le Minor L. Tetrathionate-reductase, beta glucuronidase et test a l'ONPG chez des cultures du genre Salmonella. Zentralbl Bakteriol Orig A. 1979 Apr;243(2-3):321–325. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Maddocks J. L., Greenan M. J. A rapid method for identifying bacterial enzymes. J Clin Pathol. 1975 Aug;28(8):686–687. doi: 10.1136/jcp.28.8.686. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]