Skip to main content
Journal of Clinical Microbiology logoLink to Journal of Clinical Microbiology
. 1980 Jan;11(1):22–26. doi: 10.1128/jcm.11.1.22-26.1980

Rapid biochemical characterization of Haemophilus species by using the micro-ID.

S C Edberg, E Melton, J M Singer
PMCID: PMC273309  PMID: 6986401

Abstract

Biotyping of Haemophilus influenzae into five type and H. parainfluenzae into three types based on indole production, ornithine decarboxylase, and urease has been reported (M. Kilian, Acta Pathol. Microbiol. Scand. Sect. B 82:835--842, 1976). A commercially available test system designed for the 4-h identification of Enterobacteriaceae. Micro-ID, proved efficacious for the rapid biotyping of these two Haemophilus species. The nitrate reductase, indole production, ornithine decarboxylase, urease, and o-nitrophenyl-beta-D-galactopyranoside hydrolysis tests in Micro-ID correlated over 99% with conventional methodology. By utilizing the indole and o-nitrophenyl-beta-D-galactopyranoside tests it was possible, with 261 of 272 (96.1%) isolates, to distinguish H. influenzae from H. parainfluenzae. Cerebrospinal fluid isolates were over 90% H. influenzae biotype I, and conjunctival isolates were approximately 70% biotype II. Type b H. influenzae were predominantly biotypes I and II; these type b isolates were also overwhelmingly indole producers. Although over 90% of biotypes I and II have been reported to produce beta-lactamase, this was not confirmed by the small number of beta-lactamase producers encountered here. The 4-h Micro-ID should prove a useful mechanism, amenable to the routine clinical laboratory, for the further exploration of the association of Haemophilus with the site of isolation, antigenicity, and antibiotic resistance.

Full text

PDF
23

Selected References

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

  1. Albritton W. L., Penner S., Slaney L., Brunton J. Biochemical characteristics of Haemophilus influenzae in relationship to source of isolation and antibiotic resistance. J Clin Microbiol. 1978 Jun;7(6):519–523. doi: 10.1128/jcm.7.6.519-523.1978. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Back A. E., Oberhofer T. R. Use of the Minitek system for biotyping Haemophilus species. J Clin Microbiol. 1978 Mar;7(3):312–313. doi: 10.1128/jcm.7.3.312-313.1978. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. CLARKE P. H., COWAN S. T. Biochemical methods for bacteriology. J Gen Microbiol. 1952 Feb;6(1-2):187–197. doi: 10.1099/00221287-6-1-2-187. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Golberg R., Washington J. A., 2nd The taxonomy and antimicrobial susceptibility of Haemophilus species in clinical specimens. Am J Clin Pathol. 1978 Dec;70(6):899–904. doi: 10.1093/ajcp/70.6.899. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Kilian M. A rapid method for the differentiation of Haemophilus strains. The porphyrin test;. Acta Pathol Microbiol Scand B Microbiol Immunol. 1974 Dec;82(6):835–842. doi: 10.1111/j.1699-0463.1974.tb02381.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Kilian M. A taxonomic study of the genus Haemophilus, with the proposal of a new species. J Gen Microbiol. 1976 Mar;93(1):9–62. doi: 10.1099/00221287-93-1-9. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Kilian M., Mordhorst C. H., Dawson C. R., Lautrop H. The taxonomy of haemophili isolated from conjunctivae. Acta Pathol Microbiol Scand B. 1976 Jun;84(3):132–138. doi: 10.1111/j.1699-0463.1976.tb01915.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Kilian M., Schiott C. R. Haemophili and related bacteria in the human oral cavity. Arch Oral Biol. 1975 Dec;20(12):791–796. doi: 10.1016/0003-9969(75)90055-2. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Kilian M., Sørensen I., Frederiksen W. Biochemical characteristics of 130 recent isolates from Haemophilus influenzae meningitis. J Clin Microbiol. 1979 Mar;9(3):409–412. doi: 10.1128/jcm.9.3.409-412.1979. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Lund M. E., Blazevic D. J. Rapid speciation of Haemophilus with the porphyrin production test versus the satellite test for X. J Clin Microbiol. 1977 Feb;5(2):142–144. doi: 10.1128/jcm.5.2.142-144.1977. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Myhre E. B. Typing of Haemophilus influenzae by counterimmunoelectrophoresis. Acta Pathol Microbiol Scand B Microbiol Immunol. 1974 Apr;82(2):164–166. doi: 10.1111/j.1699-0463.1974.tb02308.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. MØLLER V. Simplified tests for some amino acid decarboxylases and for the arginine dihydrolase system. Acta Pathol Microbiol Scand. 1955;36(2):158–172. doi: 10.1111/j.1699-0463.1955.tb04583.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Thornsberry C., Kirven L. A. Ampicillin resistance in Haemophilus influenzae as determined by a rapid test for beta-lactamase production. Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 1974 Nov;6(5):653–654. doi: 10.1128/aac.6.5.653. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

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

RESOURCES