Antibiotics

  • Bacitracin
  • Chloramphenicol
  • Erythromycin
  • Kanamycin
  • Nalidixic Acid
  • Nitrofurantoin
  • Novobiocin
  • Optochin
  • Penicillin
  • Streptomycin
  • Sulfamethoxazole
  • Tetracycline

Biochemical tests

  • Acid from glucose
  • Adonitol fermentation test
  • Antibiotic susceptibility tests
  • Arabinose fermentation test
  • Arabitol fermentation test
  • Arginine dihydrolase test
  • Bacitracin susceptibility test
  • Catalase test
  • Cellobiose fermentation test
  • Citrate utilization test
  • Coagulase test
  • Deoxyribonuclease (DNase) test
  • Dulcitol fermentation test
  • Esculin hydrolysis test
  • Fructose fermentation test
  • Galactose fermentation test
  • Gas from glucose
  • Gelatin hydrolysis test
  • Glucose fermentation
  • Glycerol fermentation test
  • Growth in KCN (potassium cyanide)
  • Growth on 6.5% NaCl
  • Growth on 7.5% NaCl
  • Growth on bile salts test
  • Hand Hygiene and Infection Control
  • Hemolysis on blood agar
  • Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) production test
  • Indole production test
  • Inositol fermentation
  • Kirby-Bauer Antibiotic Susceptibility Test
  • Lactose fermentation test
  • Lipase test (using corn oil)
  • Lysine decarboxylase test
  • Malonate utilization test
  • Maltose fermentation test
  • Mannitol fermentation test
  • Mannose fermentation test
  • Melezitose fermentation test
  • Melibiose fermentation test
  • Methyl red test
  • Motility test
  • myo-Inositol fermentation test
  • Nitrate reductase test
  • Novobiocin susceptibility test
  • OF glucose test
  • Optochin susceptibility test
  • Ornithine decarboxylase test
  • Oxidase test
  • Phenylalanine deaminase test
  • Raffinose fermentation test
  • Rhamnose fermentation test
  • Ribose fermentation test
  • Salicin fermentation test
  • Sorbitol fermentation test
  • Starch hydrolysis test
  • Sucrose fermentation test
  • Trehalose fermentation test
  • Urea hydrolysis test (Christiansen’s)
  • Voges-Proskauer test
  • Xylitol fermentation test
  • Xylose fermentation test

Gram negative bacilli

  • Buttiauxella agrestis
  • Cedecea davisae
  • Cedecea lapagei
  • Cedecea neteri
  • Citrobacter amalonaticus
  • Citrobacter amalonaticus biogroup 1
  • Citrobacter freundii
  • Citrobacter koseri
  • Cronobacter sakazakii
  • Edwardsiella hoshinae
  • Edwardsiella ictaluri
  • Edwardsiella tarda (wild type)
  • Edwardsiella tarda biogroup 1
  • Enterobacter aerogenes
  • Enterobacter amnigenus biogroup 1
  • Enterobacter amnigenus biogroup 2
  • Enterobacter cancerogenus
  • Enterobacter cloacae
  • Enterobacter gergoviae
  • Escherichia coli
  • Escherichia fergusonii
  • Escherichia hermannii
  • Escherichia vulneris
  • Ewingella americana
  • Hafnia alvei
  • Klebsiella oxytoca
  • Klebsiella pneumoniae subspecies ozaenae
  • Klebsiella pneumoniae subspecies pneumoniae
  • Klebsiella pneumoniae subspecies rhinoscleromatis
  • Kluyvera ascorbata
  • Kluyvera intermedia
  • Leclercia adecarboxylata
  • Mollerella wisconsinsis
  • Morganella morganii subspecies morganii
  • Morganella morganii subspecies sibonii
  • Proteus mirabilis
  • Proteus myxofaciens
  • Proteus penneri
  • Proteus vulgaris
  • Providencia alcalifaciens
  • Providencia rettgeri
  • Providencia rustigianii
  • Providencia stuartii
  • Rahnella aquatilis
  • Raoultella ornithinolytica
  • Raoultella terrigena
  • Salmonella bongori
  • Salmonella enterica
  • Salmonella enterica subspecies arizonae
  • Salmonella enterica subspecies enterica
  • Salmonella enterica subspecies houtenae
  • Salmonella enterica subspecies paratyphi
  • Salmonella enterica subspecies salamae
  • Salmonella typhi
  • Serratia ficaria
  • Serratia fonticola
  • Serratia marcescens
  • Serratia odorifera biogroup 1
  • Serratia plymuthica
  • Serratia proteamaculans subspecies proteamaculans
  • Serratia rubidaea
  • Shigella dysenteriae
  • Shigella flexneri
  • Shigella sonnei
  • Shimwellia blattae
  • Tatumella ptyseos
  • Yersinia enterocolitica
  • Yersinia frederiksenii
  • Yersinia kristensenii
  • Yersinia pestis
  • Yersinia pseudotuberculosis

Gram positive cocci

  • Dermacoccus nishinomiyaensis
  • Enterococcus avium
  • Enterococcus faecalis
  • Enterococcus faecium
  • Enterococcus gallinarum
  • Kocuria kristinae
  • Kocuria rosea
  • Kocuria varians
  • Kytococcus sedentarius
  • Lactococcus lactis
  • Lactococcus raffinolactis
  • Macrococcus caseolyticus
  • Micrococcus luteus
  • Micrococcus lylae
  • Nesterenkonia halobia
  • Rothia mucilaginosa
  • Staphylococcus aureus
  • Staphylococcus auricularis
  • Staphylococcus capitis
  • Staphylococcus caprae
  • Staphylococcus carnosus
  • Staphylococcus chromogenes
  • Staphylococcus cohnii ssp. cohnii
  • Staphylococcus cohnii ssp. urealyticum
  • Staphylococcus epidermidis
  • Staphylococcus gallinarum
  • Staphylococcus haemolyticus
  • Staphylococcus hominis
  • Staphylococcus hyicus
  • Staphylococcus intermedius
  • Staphylococcus lentus
  • Staphylococcus saccharolyticus
  • Staphylococcus saprophyticus
  • Staphylococcus sciuri
  • Staphylococcus simulans
  • Staphylococcus warneri
  • Staphylococcus xylosus
  • Streptococcus acidominimus
  • Streptococcus agalactiae
  • Streptococcus bovis
  • Streptococcus criceti
  • Streptococcus equi
  • Streptococcus equinus
  • Streptococcus ferus
  • Streptococcus iniae
  • Streptococcus mutans
  • Streptococcus pneumoniae
  • Streptococcus pyogenes
  • Streptococcus ratti
  • Streptococcus salivarius
  • Streptococcus sanguinis
  • Streptococcus sobrinus
  • Streptococcus uberis

Media

  • 6.5% NaCl broth
  • Arginine dihydrolase broth
  • Bile esculin agar slant
  • Blood agar
  • Christiansen’s urea broth
  • DNase agar with methyl green plate
  • Lysine decarboxylase broth
  • Malonate broth
  • Mannitol salt agar
  • MRVP broth
  • Mueller Hinton Agar
  • Nitrate broth with Durham tube
  • Nutrient agar plate
  • Nutrient broth
  • Nutrient gelatin
  • OF glucose broth
  • Ornithine decarboxylase broth
  • Phenol red adonitol broth
  • Phenol red arabinose broth
  • Phenol red arabitol broth
  • Phenol red cellobiose broth
  • Phenol red dulcitol broth
  • Phenol red fructose (levulose) broth
  • Phenol red galactose broth
  • Phenol red glucose (dextrose) broth with Durham tube
  • Phenol red glycerol broth
  • Phenol red inositol broth
  • Phenol red lactose broth
  • Phenol red maltose broth
  • Phenol red mannitol broth
  • Phenol red mannose broth
  • Phenol red melezitose broth
  • Phenol red melibiose broth
  • Phenol red raffinose broth
  • Phenol red rhamnose broth
  • Phenol red ribose broth
  • Phenol red salicin broth
  • Phenol red sorbitol broth
  • Phenol red sucrose (saccharose) broth
  • Phenol red trehalose broth
  • Phenol red xylitol broth
  • Phenol red xylose broth
  • Phenylalanine agar slant
  • Potassium cyanide (KCN) broth
  • Rabbit plasma
  • Simmons’ citrate agar slant
  • Spirit blue agar plate
  • Starch agar
  • Triple sugar iron agar slant
  • Tryptone broth

Reagents, Chemicals, Stains

  • Ammonium Sulfate (saturated)
  • Barritt’s A reagent
  • Barritt’s B reagent
  • Crystal Violet
  • Ferric chloride (10%) reagent
  • Gram’s Decolorizer
  • Gram’s Iodine
  • HCl 0.1N reagent
  • Hydrogen peroxide
  • Iodine reagent
  • Kovac’s reagent
  • Methyl red reagent
  • Nitrate A reagent
  • Nitrate B reagent
  • Oxidase reagent
  • Rabbit Plasma
  • Safranine

Oxidase test

About this test

What is the purpose of the test?  

A vital part of a bacterium’s ability to generate ATP is a group of membrane-bound proteins called cytochromes. Their function is to take the energetic electrons removed during metabolism of foods and transfer them to oxygen during oxidative metabolism. The last of the cytochromes is called terminal oxidase . This test is used to determine whether the oxidase cytochrome is present and functional.

How is oxidase activity determined?  

A nutrient medium is streaked with bacteria. After colonies have arisen, individual colonies are removed using a sterile, non-metallic instrument (pre-sterilized plastic loop or sterile wooden splint).  The cells are rubbed into a moistened strip impregnated with oxidase reagent . This chemical takes the place of oxygen as a recipient for the electrons from the oxidase cytochrome. The additional electrons turn the oxidase reagent from colorless to purple. If oxidase is not present, no color change is observed.

What medium is used?  

No medium is required for this test in the software, as it is a video-based test.

How is the test performed?  

The microbe being tested is streaked for isolation on an appropriate growth medium, such as nutrient agar.  After 24h incubation, the cells can be tested in one of two ways.  The simplest way is to simply flood the growth with oxidase reagent and observe for the development of a deep indigo blue in and around the colonies.  The clear oxidase reagent turns blue when cytochrome oxidase adds electrons to the chemical instead of to oxygen, as it normally does.  Development of the blue color is positive for presence of the enzyme cytochrome oxidase.  The color change does not occur in a negative test.  Because of the expense and instability of oxidase reagent, this test is rarely performed in that manner. Instead, more reliable and inexpensive methods have become the standard.   Common in the clinical lab is the use of paper strips impregnated with oxidase reagent.  Fresh growth is removed from the agar plate using a non-metallic instrument such as a sterile plastic inoculating loop or a sterile swab or wooden splint.  The oxidase test strip is moistened slightly with sterile water and the growth is rubbed into the moistened paper of the strip.  If the microbe has cytochrome oxidase, it will add electrons to the reagent, changing it from its colorless appearance to a deep indigo blue in a matter of 10-20 seconds.  Waiting any long than this increases the likelihood that the reagent turns blue due to natural chemical changes caused by exposure to air.  If the color does not turn blue within 20 seconds, the test is negative for the presence of oxidase.

What reagents are added?  

Oxidase reagent is provided in the form of impregnated paper strips.

Performing this test in the VUMIE Online lab

In VUMIE Online© Online Lab a video is provided that depicts removal of cells from an isolated colony of the unknown microbe and placement on a piece of filter paper for performing the test.  Oxidase reagent  is then added and the reaction is observed.  

To view the oxidase test in VUMIE Online lab, complete the following steps:

1. Open the Tests link above the Virtual lab and select the Oxidase Video.  

2. Press the Play button to watch the video. A short video clip showing microscopic observation of an oxidase  test for the unknown organism will play.

3. Observe the results. If the bacterium possesses oxidase , the smudge of bacteria will turn the oxidase reagent on the filter paper indigo blue in a few seconds.  If this does not occur, the microbe is oxidase negative.

4. Record the test result observed .


VUMIE is the flight simulator of microbiology labs.

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Updated on June 12, 2022
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