Quality Control of Biochemical Tests

The accurate identification of isolated bacterial strains is the major challenge in microbiological practices. In a clinical microbiology laboratory, accurate identification is crucial because the findings frequently guide treatment choices that have a direct impact on patient outcomes. There are numerous techniques to detect, characterize and identifying microorganisms. Some approaches focus on the biochemical phenotypic traits, while others make use of genotypic identification.

The biochemical tests are based on the fact that different bacterial types respond differently and produce different kinds of positive or negative results as a result of their unique metabolic characteristics. Recently, the procedure of identifying bacteria has been completely transformed by molecular microbiology techniques. In addition to being quicker and more accurate, it is also precise and widely used. 

However, for small-scale laboratories, a biochemical characteristics provide a rapid approach for identifying and classifying it. Following a preliminary identification of the organism, specialized biochemical procedures make it simple to determine the genus and species of the bacteria.

It's crucial to identify isolates by comparing their phenotypes to those of recognized reference organisms. The species-specific member of that genus is the reference organism. However, in order to prevent errors, it is essential to check the media using reference organisms.

Below are the series of biochemical reactions used to identify members of family Enterobacteriacae and non-fermenters. Let's examine reference strains used in laboratories for quality assurance.