This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Reprints and Permissions Copyright Information Books from ASM Press MicrobeWorld Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Smith, P. B. Articles by Hermann, G. J. Search for Related Content PubMed Articles by Smith, P. B. Articles by Hermann, G. J. Agricola Articles by Smith, P. B. Articles by Hermann, G. J.

 Previous Article  |  Next Article 

Appl Environ Microbiol. 1971 June; 21(6): 1036-1039
Copyright © 1971 American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

R/B Enteric Differential System for Identification of Enterobacteriaceae

Bacteriology Section, Center for Disease Control, Atlanta, Georgia 30333

ABSTRACT

The R/B Enteric Differential System for identifying enteric bacteria has been evaluated with 451 "unknown" cultures from the stock culture collection of the Center for Disease Control. An average of 89.6% of these cultures were correctly identified by the R/B system, when used as recommended by the manufacturer but without the assistance of serology. This percentage ranged, however, from 47% for Klebsiella to 100% for Serratia and Providencia. Of 11 groups or genera of Enterobacteriaceae tested, only three (Enterobacter, Serratia, and Providencia) were identified with 95% or better accuracy. Four groups (Arizona, Citrobacter, Escherichia, and Salmonella) attained 90 to 95% accuracy of identification, and three groups (Edwardsiella, Proteus, and Shigella) scored between 85 and 90% accuracy. We recommend the R/B system as a screening device which is reasonably successful in grouping bacteria but not as a substitute for more exacting conventional procedures.