Abstract
Biochemical characteristics of 34 isolates of Klebsiella pneumoniae derived from horses were examined. Fermentation of dulcitol and sorbose, and decomposition of urea provided most of the information needed to differentiate the isolates of K penumoniae, and 4 biotypes were found among the 34 isolates of K pneumoniae. All of 20 isolates from mares with metritis, one of 11 isolates from prepuces of stallions and one isolate from a lung of a foal were identified as capsular type 1. All isolates of capsular type 1 belonged to the same biotype. Isolates from stallions and foals, which were not identified as capsular types 1 to 6, were differentiated from the isolates of capsular type 1 by the fermenting ability of sorbose. Therefore, the fermentation test of sorbose may be potentially useful to identify K penumoniae of capsular type 1 that causes metritis of mares.
