Identification of Clostridium botulinum with API 20 A, rapid ID 32 A and RapID ANA II

Three commercially available test systems for the identification of anaerob ic bacteria were evaluated for the identification of 18 proteolytic group I and 69 non-proteolytic group II Clostridium botulinum, four Clostridium sp orogenes and IS nontoxigenic group II C. botulinum-like strains. All proteo lytic C. botulinum strains were misidentified by the Rapid ID 32 A and RapI D ANA II, while 14 strains and all C. sporogenes strains were identified as C. botulinum or C. sporogenes by the API 20 A. Reversely, all non-proteoly tic C. botulinum strains were misidentified by the API 20 A while the Rapid ID 32 A recognized 67 and RapID ANA II 68 strains. All C. sporogenes strai ns were recognized by the RapID ANA II, while the Rapid ID 32 A recognized one strain. All non-proteolytic non-toxigenic strains were identified as C. botulinum group II by the Rapid ID 32 A, 17 strains by the RapID ANA II, a nd one strain by the API 20 A. The results show that these lest systems do not provide a reliable method for identification of C, botulinum. (C) 1999 Federation of European Microbiological Societies. Published by Elsevier Sci ence B.V. All rights reserved.