Facultatively anaerobic gram-negative rods


 

<some medically important gram-negative facultative anaerobes>

 

species

characteristics

disease

Enterobacteria

 

 

Escherichia coli

hundreds of different strains; plasmids often influence virulence

newborn meningitis, diarrhea, urinary infections

Klebsiella pneumoniae

nonmotile; large capsules

pneumonia

Proteus mirabilis

swarms across medium; urea metabolized to ammonia

urinary infections

Salmonella typhi

hydrogen sulfide producer; only one flagellar type

typhoid fever; human source

Salmonella enteritidis

hundreds of strains based on flagellar type

gastroenteritis, :"food poisoning"; animal source

Serratia marcescens

red-pigmented colonies

urinary and blood stream infections

Yersinia pestis

nonmotile; small colonies; infects rodents and their fleas

bubonic plague; transmission by flea

Vibrios

 

 

Vibrio cholerae

require special high-salt medium

cholera, a toxin-mediated small intestine disease

Vibrio parahaemolyticus

(as above)

gastroenteritis-cramps and diarrhea last a day or less; source: seafood