Purpose: The BCL card knowledge base was expanded for the rapid automated identification of an additional 13 Bacillus, Geobacillus and Paenibacillus species.
Methods: The BCL card knowledge base contains 2517 profiles comprised of 59 species of Bacillus and related genera. Strains included isolates from stock cultures and culture collections. Cards were filled with organism suspensions prepared in 0.45% aqueous NaCl to a turbidity equivalent to a McFarland #2 standard. Inoculated cards were incubated for approximately 14 h and a computer-assisted algorithm was optimized and used to generate test and identification results.
Results: Of the 2517 tests in the database, 95.6% gave a correct identification with 14.4% low discrimination results requiring supplemental testing to discriminate between multiple (up to three) choices. An incorrect identification was observed with 3.6% of the isolates and 0.8% were unidentified. Results for the 13 new claims of Bacillus, Geobacillus and Paenibacillus species showed 97.2% gave a correct identification (including 24.2% low discrimination), 2.6% incorrect identification and 0.2% unidentified.
Significance: The updated VITEK 2 Advanced ColorimetryTM BCL card identified 59 species of Bacillus and related genera, including the 13 new species added to the claims.