EVALUATION OF 3 DISK TESTS FOR IDENTIFICATION OF ENTEROCOCCI, LEUCONOSTOCS, AND PEDIOCOCCI

Simple rapid tests for presumptive identification of catalase-negative non-beta-hemolytic cocci (i.e., enterococci, leuconostocs, and pediococci) have not previously been available. Seven hundred thirty-four strains of aerobic and facultatively anaerobic, catalase-negative, non-beta-hemolytic gram-positive cocci were tested for susceptibility to vancomycin (Van(s)) by a screening procedure and production of leucine aminopeptidase (LAPase) and pyrrolidonylarylamidase (PYRase) in disk tests. Three unique patterns of activity in response to the three disks (30 mu g of vancomycin, PYRase, and LAPase) can be used to presumptively identify the vancomycin-resistant (Van(r)) enterococci (Van(r) and PYRase and LAPase positive), leuconostocs (Van(r) and PYRase and LAPase negative), and pediococci (Van(r), PYRase negative, and LAPase positive). The results indicate that, together with Gram stain characteristics and the catalase test, the vancomycin, LAPase, and PYRase disk tests can be used to presumptively identify Van(r) strains of enterococci as well as Leuconostoc and Pediococcus strains from human infections.