Ej. Baron, Rapid identification of bacteria and yeast: Summary of a National Committee for Clinical Laboratory Standards proposed guideline, CLIN INF D, 33(2), 2001, pp. 220-225
Using colony morphology on selected agars, Gram-stain morphology, and a num
ber of 1-step biochemical or enzymatic tests, skilled microbiologists can i
dentify the species of the majority of isolates seen routinely in a clinica
l laboratory. These results are often available more quickly than and are a
s accurate as those derived from conventional methods. The National Committ
ee for Clinical Laboratory Standards has produced a guideline that describe
s tests that can be used to identify a number of aerobic gram-negative rods
and gram-positive cocci, a number of commonly isolated anaerobes, and 3 sp
ecies of yeast. An overview of the organisms included in the guideline, the
tests that identify them, and the situations in which rapid testing is app
ropriate is presented here.