title: Differentiation of Bacteroides fragilis species by gas chromatographic detection of phenylacetic acid.
abstract: Of 382 strains tested, 261 strains of the species Bacteroides fragilis, B. thetaiotaomicron, B. ovatus, and B. distasonis produced phenylacetic acid; the remaining strains, belonging exclusively to the species B. vulgatus, failed to do so. This differentiation characteristic may be useful in routine clinical bacteriology.
mesh_terms: D001441:Bacteroides fragilis / Q000145:classification* / Q000378:metabolism; D002849:Chromatography, Gas; D005285:Fermentation; D010648:Phenylacetates / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D010648:Phenylacetates