PRACTICAL ACTIVITY 14 KLEBSIELLA GENUS

These bacteria are normal members of the microbiota in humans and other animals and in
certain conditions can become pathogens.
Klebsiella species are routinely found in the human nose, mouth, and gastrointestinal tract
as normal flora; however, they can also behave as opportunistic human pathogen
These are widely spread in the environment:
• in soil, in the water, on plants and also live in the intestines of humans and
animals and in the respiratory tract of the humans and animals.
Klebsiella organisms can lead to a wide range of disease states, notably pneumonia, urinary
tract infections, septicemia, meningitis, diarrhea, and soft tissue infections
Morphological characters: - these bacteria are Gram-negative bacteria, short, in pairs or in
short chains
~ are nonmotile (means that they don’t have flagella)
• don’t have spores
• have a prominent polysaccharide-based capsule to protect them
Culture characters: - are aerobic bacteria and facultative anaerobes - can grow on ordinary
lab culture medium and do not have special growth
requirements - on solid culture medium generate type M (mucoid) colonies (round, bright
big
sized colonies, white-grey colour)
Biochemical characters: - catalase positive
• oxidase negative
• ferments sugars (glucose) to produce lactic acid and gas.

• ferments lactose to produce lactic acid

• do not gererate hydrogen sulphide

• can use citrate as as their sole carbon sourse

Antibiotic sensitivity test - these bacteria respond to Aminoglycosides, Cephalosporins.

1 PROTEUS GENUS
These bacteria are widely spread in the environment as saprophytes, being found in
decomposing animal matter, in soil, in the water, on plants, foods
They are opportunistic pathogens, commonly responsible for urinary and septic infections,
often nosocomial.
Three species — P. vulgaris, P. mirabilis, and P. penneri — are opportunistic human
pathogens.
P. vulgaris occurs naturally in the intestines of humans and a wide variety of animals, and
in manure, soil, and polluted waters.
P. mirabilis causes wound and urinary tract infections and once attached to the urinary
tract, infects the kidney more commonly than E. coli.
Morphological characters:
• these bacteria are Gram-negative bacteria

• have many flagella used to move (they are highly motile)

• don’t have spores

• do not have capsula to protect them

Culture characters: - are aerobic bacteria and facultative anaerobes - can grow on ordinary
lab culture medium and do not have special growth
requirements - on solid culture medium generate type S$ (smooth) colonies (round
colonies, translucent, soft white colour and black colour in the center)
Biochemical characters:
• catalase positive

• oxidase negative

• ferments sugars (glucose) to produce lactic acid and gas.

• reduce nitrate to nitrite,

• don’t ferments lactose

• don’t gererate hydrogen sulphide

• can use citrate as as their sole carbon sourse

• specific tests include positive urease

Antibiotic sensitivity test -these bacteria are sensitive to Ampicillin, Aminoglycosides,

Cephalosporins YERSINIA GENUS
These bacteria are widely spread in the environment and a live in the intestines of the
animals (mammalian and birds)
Some members of Yersinia are pathogenic in humans; in particular, Yersinia pestis is the
causative agent of the Pneumonic plague (a severe lung infection).
Also important species are Yersinia enterocolitica and Yersinia pseudotuberculosis
Yersinia may be associated with Crohn's disease, an inflammatory autoimmune
condition of the gut. Also Yersinia is implicated as one of the causes of reactive arthritis
worldwide
Morphological characters:
these bacteria are Gram-negative bacteria

• have flagella used to move (they are motile) at 28-30 degrees Celsius
• do not have flagella (they are non motile) at 37 degrees Celsius

• don’t have spores

• do not have capsula to protect them

Culture characters: - are aerobic bacteria and facultative anaerobes - can grow on ordinary
lab culture medium and do not have special growth
requirements
• on solid culture medium generate type S (smooth) colonies (round, medium sized
colonies, transparent, soft white-grey colour)
Biochemical characters:
• catalase positive

• oxidase negative

• ferments sugars (glucose) to produce lactic acid, but without gas.

• don’t ferments lactose

• don’t gererate hydrogen sulphide

• do not use citrate as as their sole carbon sourse

• specific tests include positive urease

Antibiotic sensitivity test -these bacteria are sensitive to Aminoglycosides, Cephalosporins