<description>&lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;In this Micro Minutes episode, Luis breaks down classic microbiology traits that usually hold true, but not always.  From indole-negative &lt;em&gt;E. coli&lt;/em&gt; to non-swarming &lt;em&gt;Proteus&lt;/em&gt; and oxidase-negative &lt;em&gt;Pseudomonas&lt;/em&gt;, this quick episode highlights real-world exceptions that can catch techs and students off guard.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;Learn how to spot:&lt;/p&gt; &lt;ul&gt; &lt;li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"&gt; &lt;p dir="ltr" role="presentation"&gt;Indole-negative &lt;em&gt;E. coli&lt;/em&gt; (98% rule + inactive biotypes)&lt;/p&gt; &lt;/li&gt; &lt;li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"&gt; &lt;p dir="ltr" role="presentation"&gt;Lactose-fermenting look-alikes like &lt;em&gt;Citrobacter freundii&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;/li&gt; &lt;li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"&gt; &lt;p dir="ltr" role="presentation"&gt;&lt;em&gt;Proteus&lt;/em&gt; species that don't swarm&lt;/p&gt; &lt;/li&gt; &lt;li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"&gt; &lt;p dir="ltr" role="presentation"&gt;&lt;em&gt;Pseudomonas&lt;/em&gt; species that test oxidase negative&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;/li&gt; &lt;/ul&gt; &lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;A fast, practical reminder that no single biochemical test should stand alone.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt; &lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Stay connected with Let's Talk Micro:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;ul&gt; &lt;li dir="ltr" style="font-weight: bold;" aria-level="1"&gt; &lt;p dir="ltr" role="presentation"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Website: &lt;a href= "https://www.letstalkmicro.com/"&gt;letstalkmicro.com&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;/li&gt; &lt;li dir="ltr" style="font-weight: bold;" aria-level="1"&gt; &lt;p dir="ltr" role="presentation"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Questions or feedback? Email me at &lt;a href= "mailto:letstalkmicro@outlook.com"&gt;letstalkmicro@outlook.com&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;/li&gt; &lt;li dir="ltr" style="font-weight: bold;" aria-level="1"&gt; &lt;p dir="ltr" role="presentation"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Interested in being a guest on Let's Talk Micro? Fill out the form here: &lt;a href= "https://forms.gle/V2fT3asjfyusmqyi8"&gt;https://forms.gle/V2fT3asjfyusmqyi8&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;/li&gt; &lt;/ul&gt; &lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Support the podcast:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;ul&gt; &lt;li dir="ltr" style="font-weight: bold;" aria-level="1"&gt; &lt;p dir="ltr" role="presentation"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href= "https://venmo.com/u/letstalkmicro"&gt;Venmo&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;/li&gt; &lt;li dir="ltr" style="font-weight: bold;" aria-level="1"&gt; &lt;p dir="ltr" role="presentation"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href= "https://ko-fi.com/letstalkmicro"&gt;Buy me a Ko-fi&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;/li&gt; &lt;/ul&gt; &lt;p&gt; &lt;/p&gt;</description>

Let's Talk Micro

Luis Plaza

213: Micro Minutes: When Bacteria Break the Rules

NOV 14, 202510 MIN
Let's Talk Micro

213: Micro Minutes: When Bacteria Break the Rules

NOV 14, 202510 MIN

Description

In this Micro Minutes episode, Luis breaks down classic microbiology traits that usually hold true, but not always. From indole-negative E. coli to non-swarming Proteus and oxidase-negative Pseudomonas, this quick episode highlights real-world exceptions that can catch techs and students off guard.

Learn how to spot:

  • Indole-negative E. coli (98% rule + inactive biotypes)

  • Lactose-fermenting look-alikes like Citrobacter freundii

  • Proteus species that don't swarm

  • Pseudomonas species that test oxidase negative

A fast, practical reminder that no single biochemical test should stand alone.

Stay connected with Let's Talk Micro:

Support the podcast: