The API-20E is a plastic strip containing twenty mini test tubes used to identify Enterobacteriaceae bacteria through a series of biochemical tests. The strip is inoculated with the bacterial culture and incubated for 18-24 hours. Various reagents are then added to the test tubes to analyze reactions like indole production, Voges-Proskauer, and citrate utilization, allowing identification of the bacterial species.

1. API-20E
Maya Al-khateeb

2. What is API?
 Analytical Profile Index
 kit for the identification of Enterobacteriaceae
 plastic strip holding twenty mini-test tubes

3. How to use it?
 The strip is inoculated with a saline
suspension of a pure culture (to rehydrate
the wells)
 Most of the wells would be filled up to the
neck
 Some will be filled up to the top with sterile
mineral oil
LDC ODC ADH H2S URE
 Some wells will be filled all the way up to the
top
CIT VP GEL

4. How to use it?
 Incubate at 37 for 18-24 h
 Add the proper reagents to the compartments:
1 drop of Kovac's to the IND (read within 2 minutes)
1 drop of Barritt's A and B to VP (wait 10 minutes)
1 drop of FeCl3 to TDA

5. Reading API

6. Reading API