Alcaligenes faecalis can be distinguished from Bordetella bronchiseptica using which test?

Alcaligenes faecalis can be reliably distinguished from Bordetella bronchiseptica using the urease test. Alcaligenes faecalis is urease positive, meaning it can hydrolyze urea to ammonia and carbon dioxide, which leads to an increase in pH and a color change in the test medium. On the other hand, Bordetella bronchiseptica is urease negative and does not produce this enzymatic reaction.

This differential characteristic is crucial in clinical microbiology, as these two bacteria can occupy similar ecological niches but have distinctly different biochemical properties, helping to guide appropriate identification and treatment strategies. In contrast, the other tests mentioned may not provide a clear distinction between these two species. For instance, both bacteria can be oxidase positive, and growth characteristics on MacConkey agar or motility tests may not definitively differentiate them either.