IMViC TEST

Learning Objectives:
❑ State the specific diagnostic purpose for each test methodology.
❑ Briefly describe the test principle associated with each test methodology.

❑ Outline the limitations, and provide an explanation to troubleshoot or report the results in
the event that a test indicates a false-positive, false-negative, or equivocal result.

❑ State the appropriate quality control organisms and results used with each testing -
procedure.

❑ Analyze and interpret the results of the IMVIC tests.

Indole Production
Purpose
◦ Identifies organisms that produce tryptophanase.

Principle
◦ Tryptophanase will hydrolyze tryptophan to pyruvate, ammonia, and indole.
◦ Kovac’s reagent will react with indole and produce a red color.

Alternative: spot indole test

◦ Spot indole test will produce a blue color if positive.

Quality control
◦ Using Kovac’s method:
◦ Positive—Escherichia coli
◦ Negative—Klebsiella pneumoniae

Copyright © 2014, by Mosby, an imprint of Elsevier Inc. 3

Indole Test

Copyright © 2014, by Mosby, an imprint of Elsevier Inc. 4

Methyl Red and Voges-Proskauer Tests
Purpose
◦ Both tests differentiate members of the Enterobacteriaceae family.

Principle
◦ Methyl red (MR) test detects mixed acid fermentation (turns red).
◦ Voges-Proskauer (VP) test detects the ability of the organism to convert the acid products to acetoin
and 2,3-butanediol (turns red).
◦ An organism can be positive for one but for not both of the tests.

Limitation
◦ MR test should not be read before 48 hours.

Quality control
◦ MR positive and VP negative—Escherichia coli
◦ MR negative and VP positive—Enterobacter aerogenes

Copyright © 2014, by Mosby, an imprint of Elsevier Inc. 5

Courtesy: Microbe Notes
Courtesy: Learn Microbiology Online
Citrate Utilization
Purpose
◦ Identifies an organism’s ability to use sodium citrate as the sole source of carbon.

Principle
◦ Bacteria capable of growing on this medium will use citrate and convert ammonium phosphate into
ammonia and ammonium hydroxide (alkaline—turns blue).

Limitation
◦ Some organisms will not produce a color change but will grow.

Quality control
◦ Positive—Enterobacter aerogenes (ATCC 13048)
◦ Negative—Escherichia coli (ATCC 25922)

Copyright © 2014, by Mosby, an imprint of Elsevier Inc. 8

Courtesy: TEXTBOOK OF DIAGNOSTIC MICROBIOLOGY, FIFTH EDITION pp. 188
EXERCISES