Our lab has recently identified a problem we have had with
identifying Enterococcus using Microscan. We thought we were isolating E.
faecium which were vancomycin resistant. However, we have now found that
they are probably not Enterococcus at all. The colonies are more alpha
hemolytic than gamma and are whiter in appearance than E.fecalis. On
Microscan they are BE + and
NaCl neg. Due to the probability using the biochemicals in the remaining
wells the isolate identifies as E. faecium without being an exception.
1. Are there any Microscan users out there experiencing the same
problem?
2. Any suggestions in a scheme an overworked, underpaid hospital
laboratory can use to identify these organisms accurately? (We think they
could be Pediococcus)
Thank
you.
