[The identification of nonfermentative gram-negative bacteria. Experiences with 676 apyocyaninogenic strains (author's transl)].

During a period of 16 months 1757 strains of nonfermentative gram-negative rods have been isolated from clinical material. Of the, 1205 (69%) were P. aeruginosa, 124 (10%) of which failed to produce pyocyanin. The apyocyaninogenic strains as well as the remaining 552 isolates were differentiated by steps according to a diagnostic scheme developed by us. For identification of species two or three steps were needed. By this procedure, 530 of the 552 strains could be assigned to nineteen species within the genera Pseudomonas, Achromobacter, Alcaligenes, Flavobacterium, Agrobacterium and Acinetobacter. 17 strains could not be identified below the genus level, one strain belonged to CDC-group VE-2 and four strains were not identifiable. 72% of the 552 strains belonged to only four species: Pseudomonas putida, P. maltophilia, Acinetobacter lwoffii and A. anitratus.