title: Species identification and biotyping of staphylococci by the API staph-ident system.
abstract: The API Staph-Ident system, a commercially available biochemical and chromogenic substrate micromethod, was evaluated as a means for identifying the species and determining the biotypes of human strains of staphylococci routinely encountered in a clinical microbiology laboratory. The species identity of 152 of 188 (80.9%) unique clinical isolates of staphylococci was correctly predicted by this method after 5 h of incubation according to the recommendations of the manufacturer. When results were determined after 24 h of incubation, the overall accuracy of this procedure was 90.4%. The API Staph-Ident system was not an adequate procedure for assessing strain biotypes since the patterns of biochemical reactivity observed with 53 of 54 (98.2%) unique isolates of Staphylococcus aureus were identical. Similarly, 58 of 62 (93.6%) different strains of S. epidermidis yielded the same biochemical profile.
mesh_terms: D001431:Bacteriological Techniques; D005188:False Negative Reactions; D005189:False Positive Reactions; D006801:Humans; D007202:Indicators and Reagents; D011934:Reagent Strips; D013210:Staphylococcus / Q000145:classification* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D007202:Indicators and Reagents; D011934:Reagent Strips