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Carbohydrate fermentation by Clostridium difficile.

S Nakamura·S Nakashio·K Yamakawa·N Tanabe·S Nishida
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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.

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Carbohydrate MetabolismClostridiumCulture MediaFermentationGelatinGlucoseHydrogen-Ion ConcentrationMannitolTrisaccharidesXyloseJournal Article

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S Nakamura, S Nakashio, K Yamakawa, N Tanabe, S Nishida. 1982. Carbohydrate fermentation by Clostridium difficile.. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1348-0421.1982.tb00159.x

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