Abbreviated scheme for presumptive identification of Staphylococcus saprophyticus from urine cultures.

A simplified scheme for the presumptive identification of Staphylococcus saprophyticus was investigated. Clinical isolates of Micrococcaceae were tested in microtiter plates containing phenol red-novobiocin-turanose broth and phenol red-arabinose broth. Standard saline suspensions of test organisms served as inoculum. Identifying features were growth within 18 to 24 h in novobiocin-turanose broth, indicating resistance to 1.6 micrograms of novobiocin per ml and fermentation of turanose. With this method, all clinical isolates of S. saprophyticus tested were correctly identified.