Gram Negative Bacilli pt.

1
Finals
Clinical Bacteriology
Enterobacteriaceae o They are part of the intestinal microbiota
of both humans and animals
General Characteristics
o They generally do not initiate disease in
The common term that is used to refer to the
healthy, uncompromised human host
members of this family is ― enterobacteris
o They may produce serious extraintestinal
They are facultatively anaerobic, non-spore-
infection outside their normal body sites
forming, Gram-negative bacilli
o They produce significant virulent factors
All members are non-encapsulated except for
Klebsiella and Enterobacter o Some examples are: E.coli, Citrobacter,
Enterobacter, Klebsiella, Proteus, and
All members ferment glucose and reduce
Serratia
nitrate to nitrite
2. Overt/True Pathogens
Most of them are present in the intestinal
tract as commensal microbiota except for o They are not present as commensal
microbiota of the human GIT
Plesiomonas, Salmonella, Shigella, and
Yersinia o They are acquired through ingestion of
contaminated food or water
Some organisms like Serratia and Yersinia
may grow at 1C to 5C o Their presence in specimens is considered
as very significant
Microscopy: Straight Gram-negative rods or
coccobacilli with rounded ends o Some examples are: Salmonella, Shigella,
and Yersinia pestis
Culture: BAP-Colonies appear as large,
smooth, and gray except for Klebsiella and Antigen-determinants for Serological
Identification of Enterobacteria
Enterobacter with mucoid colonies, and are
non-hemolytic except for some strains of Somatic O antigen-heat-stable; located in
E.coli the cell wall; used for E.coli and Shigella
serotyping
Biochemical test: (+) catalase; (-) oxidase
except for Plesiomonas shigellosis Flagellar H antigen- heat-labile; found in the
flagellum; used for Salmonella serotyping
Groups of Enterobacteria
Capsular K antigen-heat-labile
1. Opportunistic pathogens
polysaccharide; found as K1 antigen of E.coli
and Vi antigen of
S. entrica subsp. enterica serotype typhi Culture: Colonies have yellow pigmentation

Escherichia Klebsiella

Escherichia coli The species of this genus are usually found in

the GIT of humans and animals
It is the most significant species in the genus
Escherichia Culture: MAC-Colonies exhibit pink color

It may inhabit the female genital tract, Klebsiella pneumonia subsp. Pneumonia
although it is a microbiota of the large (Friedlander‘s bacillus)
intestine
It is the most commonly isolated species of
It is a primary indicator of fecal Klebsiella
contamination in water purification
It is the causative agent of community-
It is the leading cause of nosocomial urinary acquired pneumonia; afflicted patients cough
tract infection up ―currant jelly-like‖ sputum

It has both the sex pili and adhesive fimbrae It is the frequent cause of lower respiratory
tract infections among hospitalized patients
Culture:
and in immunocompromised hosts such as
o MAC-Colonies appear flat and dry, and newborns, elderly patients, and patients on
exhibit a pink color ; some strains may respirators
non lactose fermenters
Virulence factor: Polysaccharide capsule
o BAP-Most strains are non-hemolytic; some
Culture: MAC-colonies exhibit a pink color
strains are beta-hemolytic
and are mucoid (LF)
o EMB-Colonies exhibit a greenish metallic
Differential test: String test
sheen
Neufeld-Quellung test: Positive
Virulence factor: Endotoxin, common pili, K1
antigen, and intimin Growth on media with potassium cyanide
(KCN): Positive
Antigenic determinants: O, H, and K antigens
IMViC reactions: --/++
IMViC- ++/--
Enterobacter
TSIA reaction: A/A (acidic slant/acidic
butt), (+) gas, (-) hydrogen sulfide or H2S The members of this genus resemble those of
Klebsiella when gron on a McConkey agar
Escherichia hermanii
Culture: MAC-Colonies exhibit a pink color
It is formerly called E.coli atypical or enteric
and are sometimes mucoid
group II
Biochemical tests
It has been isolated from CSF, wounds, blood
Ornithine decarboxylase test: Positive

Lysine decarboxylase test: Positive (Except

for E. cloacae and E. gergoviae)

Growth on media with KCN: Positive

Sorbitol fermentation: Positive

Urease test: Positive

Malonate test: Positive

IMViC reaction: --/++

TSIA reaction: A/A. (+) gas, (-) H2S

Enterobacter gergoviae

It is found in respiratory samples and is

rarely isolated from blood cultures

Enterobacter cancerogenus (formerly E.

taylorae)

It has been isolated with osteomyelitis

following traumatic wounds