Phenotypic identification of Actinomyces and related species isolated fromhuman sources

Recent advancements in chemotaxonomic and molecular biology-based identific ation methods have clarified the taxonomy of the genus Actinomyces and have led to the recognition of several new Actinomyces and related species. Act inomyces-like gram-positive rods have increasingly been isolated from vario us clinical specimens. Thus, an easily accessible scheme for reliable diffe rentiation at the species level is needed in clinical and oral microbiology laboratories, where bacterial identification is mainly based on convention al biochemical methods. In the present study we designed a two-step protoco l that consists of a flowchart that describes rapid, cost-efficient tests f or preliminary identification of Actinomyces and closely related species an d an updated more comprehensive scheme that also uses fermentation reaction s for accurate differentiation of Actinomyces and closely related species.