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Typical biochemical properties of Klebsiella pneumoniae are:
- lactose fermentation (pink, mucous colonies on Endo; compare with E.coli lactose positive colonies)
- D-mannitol fermentation (colour change around the tablet isn't obvious; compare with Shigella)
- sucrose fermentation (colour change around the tablet isn't obvious)
- urea hydrolysis
- acid from glucose with gas
- hydrogen sulfide negative
- Indole production (negative)
- Voges-Proskauer test (positive)
- Simmons citrate (positive)
- Esculin hydrolysis (positive)
- Malonate utilization (positive)
- Lysin decarboxylase (positive)
- Arginine dihydrolase (negative)
- Ornithine decarboxylase (negative)
General description of testing on Endo agar with biochemical slope is here.
Other (more or less) necessary tests for identification of Klebsiella pneumoniae are:
Compare with Escherichia coli results.
An example of Klebsiella pneumoniae identification with a commercial kit (ENTEROtest24).