Enterococcus faecalis is a gram positive cocci occuring normally in chains.
It is catalase negative.
It hydrolyzes arginine, is positive for acid formation in mannitol and
sorbitol broths and negative for acid formation in sorbose broth.
These reactions will differentiate E.faecalis from the Staph (which are
catase positive) and
from most other Strep species.
Of the other organisms that may share these reactions, E.faecium is
probably most common
and may be differentiated by being arabinose positive and pyruvate negative
(E.faecalis is reversed).
Other Group II Enterococcus may be differentiated with more elaborate
biochemical workups
(refer to the Manual of Clinical Microbiology, ASM, 1995).
note that "Strep. faecalis" is the previous nomenclature for Enterococcus
faecalis and that
your terminology "Strep f" may lead to confusion; i.e. Strep Lancefield
Group F are very
different bugs (usually referred to as "S. milleri" group).
hsb30 at aol.com wrote in article
<19961122195900.OAA06303 at ladder01.news.aol.com>...
> Hello, I am trying to find out which lab test will identify an organism
> "very specifically" as being Strep f. Anybody, please help. I need
> to know ASAP.....
>> Please Email me at HSB30 at aol.com>> Thank you...
>>>HSB30 at AOL.COM>
