COMPARISON OF THE VITEK, API 20E AND GENE-TRAK(R) SYSTEMS FOR THE IDENTIFICATION OF YERSINIA-ENTEROCOLITICA

The current improvements in nucleic acid hybridization technology provide new techniques for the identification of micro-organisms. One such technique is the Gene-trak(R) DNA hybridization system (Framingham, MA, USA), which was introduced in 1983. The objective for this study was to evaluate the new Gene-trak(R) Yersinia enterocolitica kit in comparison with the API 20E and Vitek systems. A total of 101 strains including 18 reference non-Yersinia strains from the authors' stock culture collection and 83 suspected positive isolates from CIN agar were tested. Of these 83 isolates, 40 were identified as Y. enterocolitica after incubation at 37 degrees C for 24 h with the API 20E system; 37 strains were identified at 30 degrees C for 48 h. The Gene-trak(R) method gave positive results with 39 strains. The Vitek system gave positive results with 27 strains. With the Gene-trak(R) method, Y. enterocolitica was detectable in mixed cultures provided that the numbers of cfu ml(-1) were equal to or above 10(6) Y. enterocolitica ml(-1). Although enrichment procedures are still needed, the system provides a quick detection of these food-borne pathogens.