Detection of phosphatase production by Staphylococcus species: a new method
Geary, C.; Stevens, M.
Medical Laboratory Sciences 46(4): 291-294
1989
ISSN/ISBN: 0308-3616 PMID: 2559282 Document Number: 345642
The ability of staphylococci to produce phosphatase is an important character in the identification of species in the genus. Current methods are slow and difficult to interpret. A test is described which uses p-nitrophenyl phosphate as the substrate. It was evaluated by testinf 1035 reference and clinical strains, and also compared with an alternative method. All strains of Staphylococcus aureus and 83% of Staphylococcus epidermidis were phosphatase positive: all strains of Staphylococcus saprophyticus were negative. The method proved to be an accurante, reliable, economic and relatively rapid technique to detect phosphatase production.