Use of the rapid fermentation test in determining carbohydrate reactions of fastidious bacteria in clinical laboratories.

The rapid fermentation test was used to determine the carbohydrate reactions of some of the fastidious bacteria encountered in clinical laboratories, such as: Haemophilus species, including Haemophilus vaginalis; Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans; Cardiobacterium hominis; Kingella species; Corynebacterium species; Propionibacterium species; and Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae. Results were usually obtained within 4 h by using inocula from 24- or 48-h blood or chocolate agar media.