Urease test principle
- Many organisms especially those that infect the urinary tract, have a urease enzyme which is able to split urea in the presence of water to release ammonia and carbon dioxide. The ammonia combines with carbon dioxide and water to form ammonium carbonate which turns the medium alkaline, turning the indicator phenol red from its original orange yellow color to bright pink.
Name of urease positive organisms
- Helicobacter pylori
- Proteus spp
- Yersinia spp
- Klebsiella spp
- Brucella spp
- Cryptococcus spp