Abstract
Introduction.
Over the past decade, Achromobacter xylosoxidans has emerged as a significant pathogen, demanding improved bacteriological diagnostic methods.
Aim.
To develop a method for identifying A. xylosoxidans that is accessible for routine bacteriological practice.
Materials and methods.
Two culture groups were established: an experimental group comprising 4 strains of A. xylosoxidans, and a comparison group including 33 strains belonging to 10 other species of non-fermenting Gram-negative bacteria (NFGNB) with similar phenotypic characteristics (Stenotrophomonas maltophilia, Acinetobacter baumannii, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Pseudomonas putida, Pseudomonas stutzeri, Pseudomonas fluorescens, Chryseobacterium indologenes, Empedobacter brevis, Elizabethkingia meningoseptica, Burkholderia cepacia). Species identification was confirmed using both the Vitek 2 Compact 30 automated system and the Vitek MS mass spectrometer. A CO
2
incubator was used for bacterial culturing.
Results.
The developed method for identifying A. xylosoxidans is based on the phenomenon of mucoid growth of pure cultures on blood agar when incubated in a CO
2
atmosphere for 24–48 hours. The high diagnostic value of this feature for differentiating the pathogen from phenotypically similar microorganisms was experimentally substantiated. During testing, the target phenotypic marker was observed in all 4 strains of the experimental group (A. xylosoxidans) and was completely absent in all 33 isolates of the 10 other NFGNB species.
Conclusion.
The proposed methodological approach will optimize the bacteriological diagnosis of this difficult-to-identify and therefore rarely detected pathogen, thereby reducing the frequency of diagnostic errors across the wide spectrum of diseases it causes.