Feature / Test Staphylococcus Streptococcus Erysipelothrix Bacillus Nocardia Corynebacterium Listeria Rhodococcus

Gram+ rods Gram+ large Gram+ coccoid

Gram+ cocci, Gram+ cocci, Gram+ branching Gram+ pleomorphic Gram+ short
Gram stain (smooth/rough rods, rods may appear
clusters chains/pairs rods rods, “Chinese letters” rods, palisades
forms) endospores diphtheroid-like

Tumbling
Motile (except
motility at 25
Motility Non-motile Non-motile Non-motile B. anthracis, B. Non-motile Non-motile Non-motile
°C; non-motile
mycoides)
at 37 °C

Endospores
Spores None None None None None None None
present

Large, Mucoid,
Pinpoint, Small, smooth
Colony Golden yellow, Small, spreading salmon-pink
non-hemolytic Powdery, irregular, Small, dry, gray-white colonies,
morphology β-hemolytic (S. grayish-white, (B. cereus β; colonies (due to
(24h), hemolytic chalky colonies narrow
(BAP) aureus) α/β/γ hemolysis B. anthracis carotenoid
(48h) β-hemolysis
non-hemolytic) pigment)

Catalase + – – + + + + +

Coagulase + (S. aureus) – – – – – – –

Gelatinase + (S. aureus) – – + + – Variable –

Variable Glucose/lactose +; Glucose, Glucose +, Variable,

Carbohydrate Mannitol + Sugar metabolism
(group-dependent sucrose – (E. arabinose, Glucose +, maltose + rhamnose +, generally weak
fermentation (S. aureus) present
) rhusiopathiae) mannitol xylose – fermenter

O-F Test Fermentative – – – – – – –

Nitrate + (B. subtilis, B.

+ Variable – – (nitrite –) Variable + +
Reduction cereus)

+ (C. ulcerans), – for

Urease + – – Variable + – +
others
 + (block-type
CAMP test – + (S. agalactiae) – – – – hemolysis with –
S. aureus)

Esculin – + (Enterococcus) – – – – – –

K/A (glucose only, no A/A (acid slant Variable, often

TSI Not routine Variable A/A + H₂S Not standard –
gas, no H₂S) & butt) K/A

H₂S +, Indole –, Motile at 25 °C, Non-motile,

SIM – – Variable – Non-motile, Indole –
Motility – Indole –, H₂S – Indole –

B. anthracis Foodborne Opportunistic,

Coagulase test Club-shaped rods,
capsule Acid-fast pathogen, causes foal
distinguishes CAMP arrowhead Swine erysipelas; metachromatic
Special notes (polychrome (nocardomycolic grows at 4 °C pneumonia;
pathogenic S. for S. agalactiae zoonotic granules (Albert’s
methylene acids) (“cold partially
aureus stain)
blue) enrichment”) acid-fast