Uncommon Suspects of Oxidase Reaction

The oxidase test is a biochemical reaction that determines whether cytochrome oxidase, also known as indophenol oxidase is present. The reduced colorless reagent turns into an oxidized colorful reagent when an organism contains the cytochrome oxidase enzyme.

While certain bacterial species have distinctive biochemical reactions that result in confirmatory outcomes, there are also some exceptions. These exclusions can occasionally cause a great deal of confusion that led to addition of more confirmatory tests.

Here is a short list of bacteria that shows exceptional reactions that make sometimes microbiologists job challenging.

Oxidase Test

References

1. Tille, P. M., & Forbes, B. A. (2014). Bailey & Scott’s diagnostic microbiology (Thirteenth edition.). St. Louis, Missouri: Elsevier.

2. MacFaddin JF, editor. Biochemical Tests for Identification of Medical Bacteria. 3rd ed. Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams and Wilkins; 2000. p. 363-7.

3. Gaby WL, Free E. Differential diagnosis of Pseudomonas-like microorganisms in the clinical laboratory. J Bacteriol. 1958 Oct;76(4):442–444.

4. Gaby WL, Hadley C. Practical laboratory test for the identification of Pseudomonas aeruginosa. J Bacteriol. 1957 Sep;74(3):356–358.

5. Koneman EW, Allen SD, Janda WM, Schreckenberger PC, Winn WC. Color Atlas and Textbook of Diagnostic Micrbiology. 5th edition. New York: JB Lipincott; 1997:33-36.




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