Clinical laboratory evaluation of a system approach to the recognition of nonfermentative or oxidase-producing gram-negative, rod-shaped bacteria

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Abstract
The Oxi/ferm tube, an 8-compartment system suitable for the recognition of nonfermentative, gram-negative, rod-shaped bacteria, was evaluated in conjunction with the oxidase test in a clinical microbiology laboratory setting. A comparison between this system and the 17-test routine examination was performed with 265 cultures representing 21 species [Pseudomonas spp., Achromobacter xylosoxidans, Acinetobacter spp., Aeromonas hydrophila, Alcaligenes-spp., Flavobacterium sp., Moraxella osloensis]. The results obtained with the Roche systems were supplemented with simple additional tests in accordance with Computer Identification Data provided by the manufacturer. The Oxi/ferm tube approach worked satisfactorily in establishing the identity of the bacteria isolated from clinical specimens augmented with some representatives from culture collections. Reactions within the Oxi/ferm system were reproducible and comparable to laboratory prepared and controlled substrates.