The genera Escherichia, Klebsiella, Enterobacter, Serratia, and Citrobacter (collectively called the coliform bacilli) and Proteus include overt and opportunistic pathogens responsible for a wide range of infections. Many species are members of the normal intestinal flora.

What kind of organism is Proteus vulgaris?

Proteus vulgaris is a rod-shaped, nitrate-reducing, indole-positive and catalase-positive, hydrogen sulfide-producing, Gram-negative bacterium that inhabits the intestinal tracts of humans and animals. It can be found in soil, water, and fecal matter.

Is Proteus E coli?

Proteus species are most commonly found in the human intestinal tract as part of normal human intestinal flora, along with Escherichia coli and Klebsiella species, of which E coli is the predominant resident. Proteus is also found in multiple environmental habitats, including long-term care facilities and hospitals.

What family does Proteus vulgaris belong to?

The genus Proteus belongs to the tribe Proteeae of family Enterobacteriaceae and includes five species: Proteus vulgaris, Proteus mirabilis, Proteus penneri, Proteus myxofaciens, and Proteus hauseri. Besides these, there are three unnamed Proteus genomospecies.

What is unique about Proteus vulgaris?

P. vulgaris have two interesting features. The cells are highly motile and swarm across the surface of the agar plates, forming a very thin film of bacteria. When the cells stop and undergo a cycle of growth and division, the swarming periods are interspersed with periods and the colony has a distinct zonation.

Does Proteus vulgaris ferment glucose?

According to laboratory fermentation tests, P. vulgaris ferments glucose and amygdalin, but does not ferment mannitol or lactose. P. vulgaris also tests positive for the methyl red (mixed acid fermentation) test and is also an extremely motile organism.

Is Proteus vulgaris aerobic or anaerobic?

Proteus vulgaris Proteus vulgaris is an facultative anaerobe, rod-shaped, Gram-negative bacterium in the Enterobacteriaceae family. It causes urinary tract and wound infections.

Is Proteus vulgaris harmful?

P. vulgaris, previously considered biogroup 2, has been reported to cause UTIs, wound infections, burn infections, bloodstream infections, and respiratory tract infections (71, 137).

Does Proteus vulgaris Swarm?

Proteus vulgaris and Proteus mirabilis tend to form a thin, spreading growth (swarm) on the surface of moist agar media, often overgrowing other bacterial isolates.

Does Proteus vulgaris produce amylase?

In Proteus vulgaris Maximum, 98%, 84% and 80% of the total isolates showed urease, gelatinase and amylase and lipase activity respectively.

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What is Proteus vulgaris morphology?

MORPHOLOGY OF PROTEUS VULGARIS (PR. VULGARIS) Shape – Proteus Vulgaris is a short, straight rod shape (bacillus) bacterium. … Vulgaris is a flagellated bacterium with a Peritrichous flagella arrangement i.e. flagella are present all over the surface of the bacterium.

Does amoxicillin treat Proteus mirabilis?

Amoxicillin was used in the treatment of 36 infections in 35 patients with adequate gmnulocyte counts. The antibiotic was effective against 61 % of all infections, against 90% of infections caused by gram-positive organisms, and against 77% of infections caused by Escherichia coli, and Proteus mirabilis.

What antibiotic is Proteus mirabilis sensitive to?

P mirabilis is likely to be sensitive to ampicillin; broad-spectrum penicillins (eg, ticarcillin, piperacillin); first-, second-, and third-generation cephalosporins; imipenem; and aztreonam. P vulgaris and P penneri are resistant to ampicillin and first-generation cephalosporins.

Is Proteus vulgaris an opportunistic pathogen?

Currently, the genus is divided into Proteus mirabilis, Proteus vulgaris, Proteus penneri, Proteus hauseri, and three unnamed genomospecies 4, 5, and 6 and consists of 80 O-antigenic serogroups. The bacteria are known to be human opportunistic pathogens, isolated from urine, wounds, and other clinical sources.

How can Proteus vulgaris be prevented?

Proteus is more common in people who have or have had a urinary catheter. Minimizing the incidence and duration of urinary catheterization is an important part of preventing infection.

Is Proteus vulgaris oxidase positive or negative?

It is oxidase-negative but catalase- and nitrate-positive. Specific tests include positive urease (which is the fundamental test to differentiate Proteus from Salmonella) and phenylalanine deaminase tests. On the species level, indole is considered reliable, as it is positive for P. vulgaris, but negative for P.

Is Proteus vulgaris beta hemolytic?

The haemolytic activities of Proteus mirabilis and P. vulgaris strains were studied under different conditions. … Cell bound beta haemolysin is present in nearly 35% of P. mirabilis urinary strains.

Does Proteus vulgaris grow on MacConkey Agar?

For pus & urine samples, blood agar and MacConkey agar are commonly used. Proteus grow on the Blood agar plate in successive waves to form a thin filmy layer of concentric circles ( swarming). Proteus do not swarm in the MacConkey agar medium and form smooth, pale or colourless (NLF) colonies.

What sugars does Proteus vulgaris ferment?

The ability to ferment glucose, sucrose, and maltose served as a means to further subdivide the strains into two groups, as Hauser had done. P. vulgaris fermented glucose, sucrose, and maltose readily, while P. mirabilis fermented glucose readily and sucrose slowly and did not ferment maltose.

Does Proteus produce gas?

It can produce hydrogen sulfide gas, and forms clear films on growth media. It is motile, possessing peritrichous flagella, and is known for its swarming ability. It is commonly found in the human digestive system.

Why is IMViC test done?

The IMViC tests are a group of individual tests used in microbiology lab testing to identify an organism in the coliform group. … The presence of some coliforms indicate fecal contamination. The term “IMViC” is an acronym for each of these tests.

How do you differentiate Proteus mirabilis and Proteus vulgaris?

Proteus mirabilis (indole negative) is the most frequent Proteus species associated with urinary tract infections, but indole-positive Proteus species like Pr. vulgaris, which are more often resistant to ampicillin, may also cause urinary tract infections. These species are often associated with an alkaline urine.

Is Proteus vulgaris non lactose fermenter?

It is a non-lactose fermenter, indole-negative, oxidase-negative but catalase- and nitrate-positive. “Swarms” on moist agar (many flagella per organism, see video as an example). The second most commonly isolated Enterobacteriaceae after E. coli in many series.

Why is Proteus named so?

Proteus bacteria directly derive their name from the Sea God, due to their rapid swarming growth and motility on agar plates. They demonstrate versatility by secreting enzymes, which allow them to evade the host’s defense systems.

Is Proteus a coliform?

The genera Escherichia, Klebsiella, Enterobacter, Serratia, and Citrobacter (collectively called the coliform bacilli) and Proteus include overt and opportunistic pathogens responsible for a wide range of infections. Many species are members of the normal intestinal flora.

What symptoms does Proteus vulgaris cause?

Proteus can cause gastroenteritis, urinary tract infections, and wound infections. The ingestion of food contaminated by Proteus may contribute to the sporadic and epidemic cases of gastroenteritis, which may cause symptoms such as vomiting, fever, abdominal pain, severe nausea, diarrhea, and dehydration.

How does Proteus cause UTI?

Proteus species also produce urease, which has been shown to be associated with an increased risk of pyelonephritis and upper UTIs. Proteus species also hydrolyze urea to ammonia, thereby alkalinizing the urine. Through the production of urease and ammonia, Proteus can produce an environment where it can survive.

Can Proteus vulgaris produce citrate?

Klebsiella pneumoniae and Proteus mirabilis are examples of citrate positive organisms. Escherichia coli and Shigella dysenteriae are citrate negative.

Does Proteus vulgaris endospores?

Cell structure. P. vulgaris is a rod-shaped, chemoorganotrophic, Gram-negative bacteria between 1 and 3 microns in size (2). It is motile by peritrichous flagella, and does not have capsules or spores (2).

Does Proteus mirabilis ferment glucose?

Like MSA, this medium also contains the pH indicator, phenol red. If an organism is capable of fermenting the sugar glucose, then acidic byproducts are formed and the pH indicator turns yellow. Escherichia coli is capable of fermenting glucose as are Proteus mirabilis (far right) and Shigella dysenteriae (far left).

How is Proteus vulgaris treated?

For hospitalized patients, therapy consists of parenteral (or oral once the oral route is available) ceftriaxone, quinolone, gentamicin (plus ampicillin), or aztreonam until defervescence. Then, an oral quinolone, cephalosporin, or TMP/SMZ for 14 days may be added to complete treatment.