Identification of Escherichia coli from shellfish and related environments by automicrobic system.

Abstract

A total of 463 fecal coliform positive isolates obtained from shellfish and related samples gave typical Escherichia coli IMViC reactions. E. coli identifications for 458 (99%) of these isolates were confirmed using a combination of the Automicrobic System (AMS) and the API 20E system (reference system). The AMS (test system) identified 433 isolates as E. coli; the remaining 25 (5%) isolates were identified as E. hermanii by the test system and as E. coli by the reference system. Additional tests performed on the isolates identified as E. hermanii confirmed those AMS identifications to be incorrect.