title: 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, gamma-glutamyl aminopeptidase, alpha-mannosidase, and alpha-glucosidase were found to be highly discriminating and could be used to develop an identification scheme.
authors.affiliation: Microbiology Unit, University of Louvain, UCL/5490, Av. Hippocrate 54, B-1200 Brussels, Belgium. wauters@mblg.ucl.ac.be
authors.forename: Georges
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Wauters
authors.forename: Véronique
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Avesani
authors.forename: Jacqueline
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Charlier
authors.forename: Michèle
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Janssens
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vaneechoutte
authors.forename: Michel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Delmée
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D015373:Bacterial Typing Techniques; D001530:Belgium / Q000453:epidemiology; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis; D004275:DNA, Ribosomal / Q000032:analysis; D020459:Genes, rRNA; D006801:Humans; D009615:Nocardia / Q000145:classification* / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D009617:Nocardia Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / Q000235:genetics; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D013045:Species Specificity; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D004275:DNA, Ribosomal; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S