ABSTRACT

Although molecular methods (SECTION B3) are becoming increasingly dominant in the identification and classification of bacteria, most identification work in clinical laboratories throughout the world is done using cheaper growth and biochemical methods. Furthermore, a full identification of any bacterium to publishable standard should include a polyphasic approach, i.e. including the characteristics of the strain determined molecularly, biochemically, and from growth studies. If bacteria can be grown from a clinical or environmental sample, the first step in identification or classification is growth studies, followed by an analysis of the enzymes that may be present in the strain, and lastly a molecular analysis of the genome.