A BIOCHEMICAL PROTOCOL FOR THE DIFFERENTIATION OF CURRENT GENOMOSPECIES OF AEROMONAS

A data file consisting of 40 biochemical and physiological tests for t he differentiation of aeromonads was constructed based upon existing p ublished data from various geographical locations and laboratories. Th e data file covers all the current genomospecies (or hybridisation gro ups) of Aeromonas and is therefore applicable to bacteriologists from a wide variety of fields. The protocol derived from the data file was adapted for use with a semi-interactive computer identification progra m. This program was challenged with the type strains of all the curren tly recognised genomospecies and each genomospecies was correctly iden tified, with only one strain (ATCC 7966, HG1) having an identification probability of less than 90%. The program was also tested with enviro nmental and clinical isolates and again identifications were achieved with high probabilities. This protocol is designed for use on presumpt ive isolates of Aeromonas spp. and can be carried out in routine labor atories not equipped to perform the complex DNA hybridisation techniqu es which are currently used for the differentiation of genomospecies o f Aeromonas.