Use of a rapid fermentation test for indentification of anaerobic bacteria.

Rapid fermentation tests of carbohydrates were performed on 84 strains of anaerobic bacteria, and the result is compared with a commercially available micromultitest, API. An overall correlation of 87% was achieved between the two systems. The rapid fermentation test is easy to perform, since it is done aerobically, and easy to read. This study shows that RFT is useful in routine diagnosis of anaerobic bacteria, if it is used in combination with other relevant biochemical tests, morphologic examination, and gas chromatography.