Fluorogenic procedures were used with the substrate 4-methylumbelliferyl-p-D-glucuronide (MUG) to identify Escherichia coli. Most strains produced 0-glucuronidase and, thus, were MUG positive. A 20-min procedure was developed to detect glucuronidase activity in 1,295 bacterial cultures, representing 23 genera, of strains that were isolated from clinical specimens. Very few organisms other than E. col! were MUG positive. Of 682 E. coli strains that were isolated, 630 (92.4%) were MUG positive. When an additional 188 E. coli serotype 0157 isolates were examined, 155 E. coli 0157:H7, 10 E. coli 0157:H-, and 1 E. coli 0157:H (rough) isolate were MUG negative. Ail 166 cultures were verocytotoxin positive. Of the remaining 22 E. coli 0157 isolates, 2 isolates were 0157:H-, 1 isolate was 0157:H (rough), and 19 isolates were other H types (H6, H16, H19, H25, H42, and H45); these 22 isolates were MUG positive. Ail 22 cultures were verocytotoxin negative. The rapid MUG procedure can be used to predict verocytotoxin-positive isolates of E. coli 0157; that is, there is a very good likelihood that MUG-negative E. col! 0157 isolates are verocytotoxin positive. Fluorogenic procedures with the substrate 4-methylumbelliferyl-p-D-glucuronide (MUG) have become common for

Yersinia enterocolitica serotype 0:3, biotype 4, has been isolated from two family members with diarrhea and from the well used as a source of their drinking water.

Isolation rates of Campylobacter spp. were analyzed for an 8-year period, 1978 through 1985. Three laboratories of the Ontario Ministry of Health examined 146,842 human feces samples for bacterial pathogens, including Campylobacterjejuni and Campylobacter coli. Campylobacter spp. were isolated from 5,580 specimens (3.8%), with monthly isolation rates ranging from 1.1 to 7.4%. The data showed a seasQnal distribution of isolations, with peaks during the summer months (June to September). Most infections were in children, adolescents, and young adults. More males were infected than females; this finding was most pronounced in the age groups under 25 years. In Northern and Central Ontario, a strikingly higher incidence was observed among farm residents than among rural nonfarm or urban residents. Of 89 farm residents, 63 had consumed raw milk (61 bovine, 2 goat) within 72 h before becoming ill.

A rapid biochemical method for the identification of Gardnerella vaginalis has been developed. The method is based on the fermentation of starch and raffinose and on the hydrolysis of hippurate. With this new procedure, identification was confirmed for 390 of 396 G. vaginalis isolates within 1 h after their inoculation into the three substrates.

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