A comparison of the biochemical activities of Bacteroides corrodens and Eikenella corrodens with those of certain other gramnegative bacteria.

Tests carried out on strictly anaerobic and facultatively anaerobic strains of "corrodens" bacteria, showed that although these organisms are relatively inactive biochemically, differentiation can be made on the basis of tests that demonstrate reduction of nitrite, hydrolysis of urea and 1-naphthyl acetate, decarboxylation of lysine and ornithine, and sensitivity to certain selective agents included in culture medium. Plasma was found to be superior to serum in supporting the growth of all "corrodens" bacteria, and a combination of heated and unheated blood added to a nutrient base was shown to yield good growth. Comparative studies are reported with various species of Bacteroides, Haemophilus, Bordetella and related genera.