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Carbohydrate Fermentation by Clostridium difficile
Author(s) -
Nakamura Shinichi,
Nakashio Satoshi,
Yamakawa Kiyotaka,
Tanabe Naomi,
Nishida Shoki
Publication year - 1982
Publication title -
microbiology and immunology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.664
H-Index - 70
eISSN - 1348-0421
pISSN - 0385-5600
DOI - 10.1111/j.1348-0421.1982.tb00159.x
Subject(s) - mannitol , fermentation , agar , biology , microbiology and biotechnology , fructose , clostridium , clostridia , sorbitol , gelatin , clostridium difficile , food science , lecithinase , clostridiaceae , incubation , bacteria , biochemistry , enzyme , genetics , toxin , antibiotics
Abstract Biochemical properties of Clostridium difficile were reinvestigated for the practical identification of the organism in clinical laboratories. Bacterial growth in 2% proteose peptone medium supplemented with 0.01% l‐cysteine · HCl and 0.1% agar supported sufficient growth to read the fermentation results just as well as did pre‐reduced anaerobically sterilized medium. Incubation for 2 days was long enough for determining the ability to ferment fructose, glucose, mannitol, mannose, melezitose, and sorbitol. All of the 82 strains liquefied 2% but not 10% gelatin. The significance of mannitol fermentation and gelatin liquefaction is stressed since C. difficile is the only species fermenting mannitol among the gelatin‐liquefying species of Clostridia having subterminal spores.