Rapid identification of antibiotic-resistant corynebacteria with the API 20S system

Abstract
The API 20S system was evaluated for the rapid identification of multiply antibiotic-resistant aerobic diphtheroids. Sixty-eight clinical isolates of multiple resistant Centers for Disease Control group JK and group D2 corynebacteria had API 20S profiles which were clearly different from those of a number of strains of other Corynebacterium spp. which were tested. The API 20S system allowed more rapid identification of antibiotic-resistant diphtheroids than conventional biochemical tests. Its use for corynebacteria other than group JK and group D2 is not recommended at this time.