Non-fermenter

Non-fermenters (also non-fermenting bacteria) are a taxonomic heterogene group of bacteria of the division Proteobacteria, which cannot catabolize glucose, so are not able to ferment. This does not exclude automatically, that species can catabolize other sugars or have an anaerobiosis like fermenting bacteria.

The coccoid or bacillary bacteria can be found in soil or wet areas. They are non-sporulating bacteria and Gram-negative. Some species are also pathogenic for human, so their detection (f.e. with API 20E) has a great relevance in bacterial diagnostic.

List of non-fermenter

• Acinetobacter
• Bordetella
• Burkholderia
• Legionella
• Moraxella
• Pseudomonas
• Stenotrophomonas

Also, pathogen species include Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Moraxella catarrhalis.

References

• Kayser et al. (2005): Medical Microbiology.