Which characteristic is true of Stenotrophomonas maltophilia in laboratory cultures?

Stenotrophomonas maltophilia is known for being nonmotile and oxidase negative, which is a significant characteristic for its identification in laboratory cultures. This organism typically does not exhibit motility, meaning it does not have flagella, and therefore does not swim through liquid media. Additionally, being oxidase negative indicates that it does not possess the enzyme cytochrome oxidase, which is often tested in the identification of various bacterial species. Both characteristics help differentiate S. maltophilia from other bacteria that might share some of its traits, ensuring that laboratory identification is accurate.

While S. maltophilia produces urease, this is not a defining characteristic compared to its nonmotile and oxidase negative features. It does not ferment lactose, so it would not grow on MacConkey agar with lactose; instead, it typically appears as a non-lactose fermenting colony. Moreover, S. maltophilia does not produce hydrogen sulfide, which further confirms that it does not share some traits present in other enteric bacteria. Understanding these characteristics is crucial for laboratory identification and diagnosis related to infections caused by this organism.