RAPID BIOCHEMICAL SCREENING FOR SALMONELLA, SHIGELLA, YERSINIA, AND AEROMONAS ISOLATES FROM STOOL SPECIMENS

Four screens for the rapid (4 to 6 h) biochemical detection of pathoge ns from enteric isolation media are described. The Salmonella screen c onsisted of Kligler iron agar (KIA), motility-indole-urea-tryptophan-d eamination semisolid medium (MIU-TDA), and the o-nitrophenyl-beta-D-ga lactopyranoside (ONPG) test; the Shigella screen consisted of KIA, MIU -TDA, the ONPG test, and the lysine decarboxylationl-indole test; the Yersinia screen consisted of a rhamnose broth; the Aeromonas screen co nsisted of a xylose agar plate. When tested on 2,102 fresh isolates an d 71 stock strains, the screens correctly detected 212 enteric pathoge ns (sensitivity, 100%), with a specificity of 98.1%.