Construction of an interpretive pattern directory for the API 10 S kit and analysis of its diagnostic accuracy.

A directory of test patterns and their interpretations has been prepared for identification of Enterobacteriaceae by using the 11-test API 10 S kit. The diagnostic accuracy of the directory and kit were evaluated by using records of test results for 37,476 isolates studied with the 21-test API 20 Enteric kit. Analysis indicates that 96.9% of the isolates would have been correctly identified at the genus level and 95.9% at the species level by using only the subset of tests included in the API 10 S.