Comparison of the compliances of semi-automated BBL Crystal, automated VITEK, API Rapid ID 32 Strep and API 20 Strep identification systems in the identification of clinical enterococcus isolates

Objective: identification of enterococcus spp. at the species level is of great importance, for appropriate treatment of patients and infection control management. the aim of this study was to evaluate the compliances of bbl crystal (becton dickinson, usa), vitek (biomerieux, france), api rapid id 32 strep and api 20 strep (biomerieux, france) identification systems in the identification of clinical enterococcus isolates. material-method: a total of 52 enterococci, isolated from blood cultures of different patients were identified by bbl crystal, vitek, api rapid id 32 strep and api 20 strep identification systems according to manufacturers’ instructions. identified enterococcus species, identification levels and compliances of the systems were evaluated. result: 100%, 84.6%, 75% and 63.5% of 52 strains were identified to species level with an identification level of good, very good or excellent (one species identification with a probability rate of 85-99%), respectively with bbl crystal, vitek, rapid id 32 strep and api 20 strep systems. while there were no unidentified strains with bbl crystal, and api 20 strep, 1 and 2 strains were unidentified with vitek and rapid id 32 systems, respectively. the highest compliance rate (92.3%) was detected between bbl crystal and vitek systems. conclusion: identification levels and compliances of bbl crystal and vitek systems were higher and identification results of api 20 strep system displayed not only low identification levels but also the lowest compliance rates with other systems. while compliance of identification systems were high for identification of e. faecalis, it was lower at identifying non-faecalis and non-faecium enterococcus.