Rapid identification of Bordetella avium and related organisms on the basis of their cellular carbohydrate patterns

Summary Whole cell hydrolysates of Bordetella avium, B. bronchiseptica, B. pertussis, B. parapertussis, Alcaligenes faecalis, A. xylosoxidans ssp. denitrificans, A. xylosoxidans ssp. xylosoxidans, and A. piechaudii were analysed for their cellular carbohydrates by capillary gas‐chromatography of per‐acetylated aldononitriles and O‐methyloximes, respectively. All Alcaligenaceae species could be discriminated on the basis of their carbohydrate profiles and a few conventional features. Taxometric evaluation of the established carbohydrate patterns confirmed previous separation of the taxa and the genetic relatedness within the Alcaligenaceae. One of the advantages of the method is, that the analysis is easy to perform and can be completed within less than 5 h, starting from a pure culture and, therefore, it seems to be applicable as a rapid method in routine diagnostics.