New methods for identification of obligate anaerobes

Anaerobes are identified in the clinical laboratory to provide a microbiologic diagnosis for the individual patient as well as information on pathogenicity and epidemiology. The level of identification required in each context should be discussed and agreement should be reached. New methods of identification available, or likely to become available, include nucleic acid and immunologic probes, protein electrophoresis, peptidoglycan analysis, detection of volatile metabolic products, and detection of enzymes. The last of these has been widely adopted for the production of commercially available identification kits. All the methods require critical assessment before they are introduced into routine service.