MEDIA FOR THE DETECTION AND RECOGNITION OF THE ENTEROPATHOGEN PROVIDENCIA-ALCALIFACIENS IN FECES

A medium (PAM: Providencia alcalifaciens medium) is described that ena bles the presence of the enteropathogen P. alcalifaciens in faeces to be detected with ease and simplicity. This organism is probably the on ly oxidase-negative organism likely to be present in tetrathionate bro th cultures of faeces that is unable to ferment the mannitol, xylose o r galactose present in the medium. Thus the red colonies of P. alcalif aciens appeared quite distinct from the lemon-yellow acid-forming colo nies of all the other bacteria that ferment one or more of these sugar s. Extensive tests showed the medium to be both highly specific and se nsitive in detecting P. alcalifaciens. Two additional media are descri bed that enable the identity of presumptive P. alcalifaciens isolates to be confirmed unequivocally and with ease.