A general‐purpose system for characterizing medically important bacteria to genus level

Abstract

A computer program and accompanying data matrix were prepared for bacteria of medical interest, to assist the assignment of an unidentified bacterium to the most likely genus. The results on a set of relatively simple tests are entered. The program prints the more likely genera, followed by a list of diagnostic tables in Cowan and Steel (1974) and Buchanan and Gibbons (1974). Where available, identification matrices for further computer-assisted study, are presented. This program may be of particular help in laboratories where a wide range of bacteria have to be identified.