Evaluation of the Spot-CAMP test for the rapid presumptive identification of group B streptococci

A rapid Spot-CAMP test was evaluated for its ability to accurately identify colonies of Streptococcus agalactiae (Lancefield Group B) growing on primary sheep blood agar plates. The test uses a beta-lysin-containing filtrate, which is prepared from a broth culture of Staphylococcus aureus. A drop of beta-lysin filtrate is applied adjacent to a suspected group B Streptococcus (GBS) colony and the plate is incubated and then examined for a zone of synergistic hemolysis. The Spot-CAMP test demonstrated 100% correlation with both a Standard CAMP procedure and Lancefield serogrouping. The rapid Spot-CAMP test was easy to perform and inexpensive, and could presumptively identify within 30 minutes colonies of GBS growing on primary isolation plates.