Evaluation of an automated system for identification of anaerobic bacteria

Abstract

A fully automated computer-assisted system (ATB system, bioMérieux, France) which uses disposable microenzymatic panels was evaluated for its ability to identify 215 strains of anaerobic bacteria (clinical isolates and reference strains). All strains were examined using conventional identification protocols and by gas chromatographic analysis of short-chain fatty acids. Automated reading of Rapid ID32A test kits (bioMérieux, France) by the ATB system gave correct identification for 195 strains (90.7%): 92.25% of gram-negative anaerobes (116 strains) and 89% of gram-positive anaerobes (99 strains) were correctly identified. Twelve strains (5.6%) were incorrectly identified and 8 strains (3.7%) were not identified by the system. For some strains in the Bacteroides fragilis group, for Clostridium difficile and for the Fusobacterium genus, additional tests suggested by the ATB software were necessary to reach a final identification at the species or genus level. On the basis of the high incidence of correct identifications and the comparison of these results with those obtained previously using other commercially available kits, the ATB system was found to be a reliable method for identification of anaerobic bacteria in clinical laboratories.

Enzymatic/Biochemical and Cellular Fatty Acid Analyses of Leptotrichia Isolates

“…pseudobuccalis ', S. termitidis and F. perfoetens are not in the ATB database. In another study (35) automatic reading of the rapid ID 32 A test kit gave in 91% of the cases correct identi cation for 195 strains: 92% of gram-negative anaerobic bacteria (116 strains) and 89% of gram-positive anaerobic bacteria (99 strains).…”

Change of antibiotic susceptibility following periodontal therapy

“…Aliquots of bacterial suspensions prepared from the incubated subculture are given on a test panel consisting of 29 biochemical tests. The results of these tests are interpreted by comparing all the results obtained for the test microorganisms with the information in the computer‐assisted database ATB 32 (Arzese et al 1994).…”

Identifizierung von klinisch relevanten Anaerobiern der GattungenBacteroides, Prevotella, Porphyromonas, FusobacteriumundPeptostreptococcusmit den Schnell-ldentifizierungssystemen Rapid ID 32 A und Vitek-ANI – Vergleich mit der konventionellen Methode

“…Alternativ werden seit vielen Jahren von der Industrie -wie für andere Grup- [21] wurden von uns auch Stämme von Spezies anaerober gramnegaliver Stäbchenbakterien, die nicht in der Datenbasis des Rapid ID 32 A enthalten waren, eingesetzt (Tabelle 1), da mit derartigen Erregern auch unter Routinediagnostik-Bedingungen zu rechnen ist. In der überwiegenden Zahl der Fälle kam hier das Rapid ID 32 A korrekterweise zu keiner Identifizierung.…”