Jacqueline Charlier

Distribution of nocardia species in clinical samples and their routine rapid identification in the laboratory.

ABSTRACT Eighty-six Nocardia strains isolated from clinical samples in Belgium were identified by 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Eighty-three (96%) strains belonged to only six Nocardia species: N. farcinica (38 [44%]), N. nova (19 [22%]), N. cyriacigeorgica (13 [15%]), N. brasiliensis (6 [6.9%]), N. abscessus (5 [5.8%]), and N. paucivorans (2 [2.3%]). A gallery of nine conventional and enzymatic tests was developed for the rapid identification of the most common species isolated during this survey. Pyrrolidonyl aminopeptidase, γ-glutamyl aminopeptidase, α-mannosidase, and α-glucosidase were found to be highly discriminating and could be used to develop an identification scheme.

Bacteremia Due to a Novel Microbacterium Species in a Patient with Leukemia and Description of Microbacterium paraoxydans sp. nov.

ABSTRACT A yellow-pigmented coryneform rod was isolated from the blood of a child with acute lymphoblastic leukemia who was perfused with a central venous catheter. The culture bottles were positive twice, at a 2-month interval. The isolate was identified as a Microbacterium sp. and studied along with five other similar strains. Phenotypic, chemotaxonomic, and genetic characteristics indicated that they are closely related to Microbacteriumoxydans but that they belong to a distinct species, for which the name Microbacteriumparaoxydans sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain of M. paraoxydans is CF36T = DSM 15019T. The G+C content of its DNA is 69.9 mol%.

Identification of a Novel Brevibacterium Species Isolated from Humans and Description of Brevibacterium sanguinis sp. nov.

ABSTRACT Six coryneforms isolated from blood and dialysate fluid were phenotypically similar to Brevibacterium casei, but 16S rRNA gene sequencing and DNA-DNA hybridization indicate that they belong to a new species for which the name Brevibacterium sanguinis is proposed.

Brevibacterium paucivorans sp. nov., from human clinical specimens.

Seven isolates from various human body sites displayed general chemotaxonomic and phenotypic characteristics of the genus Brevibacterium. This was corroborated by the 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis of strain CF62T, showing a sequence similarity of 99% to Brevibacterium mcbrellneri. However, DNA-DNA hybridization, a peculiar amino acid content of the cell wall and some phenotypic properties clearly suggested that these strains belong to a new species, for which the name Brevibacterium paucivorans sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain of B. paucivorans is CF62T (= DSM 13657T = LMG 19814T). The DNA G+C content of the type strain is 55.8 mol%.

Biochemical and susceptibility tests useful for identification of nonfermenting gram-negative rods.

ABSTRACT Six hundred nineteen strains of nonfermenting gram-negative rods were tested for alkaline phosphatase, benzyl-arginine arylamidase, pyrrolidonyl arylamidase, ethylene glycol acidification, and susceptibility to desferrioxamine and colistin. The results were highly discriminant. Therefore, the proposed tests may be helpful for the identification of this group of organisms.

Histidine Decarboxylase in Enterobacteriaceae Revisited

ABSTRACT With a modification of Taylors decarboxylation broth, histidine decarboxylase was detected in Enterobacter aerogenes, Morganella morganii, Raoultella ornithinolytica, and some strains of Citrobacter youngae and Raoultella planticola. This method provides a useful confirmatory test for identification of E. aerogenes strains.