1.

Escherichia coli

MORPHOLOGY
Escherichia coli Escherichia coli Medium sized (3-6 mm in diameter), opaque, sticky and
greyish white colonies. Some strains give a narrow clear hemolysis zone on blood agar. It has
unpleasant odour.

BIOCHEMICAL REACTIONS

Gram stain: Gram negative.

Short motile rods (0.5 x 1-3 m)

Peritrichous flagella.

Catalase test positive.

Oxidase negative.

Tryptophanase- positive.

Indol test- positive.

Urease negative.

Citrate negative.

Hydrogen sulphide (H2S) negative.

Methyl red positive.

Voges-Proskauer negative.

Lactose fermentation positive.

CULTURE

For culture: Brilliant Green Agar or Blood Agar 5%.

For selective isolation: MacConkey Agar

Temperature: 37 degrees C.

Time: 16-24 hours.

Condition: Facultatively Anaerobic.

HEALTH IMPACTS
Edema disease in pigs, weaning diarrhea in pigs and hemorrhagic colitis in humans. (Food
Poisoning)

2. Shigella dysenteriae
MORPHOLOGY
They are short, gram negative rods, about 2-4 m in length x 0.6m in breadth. They are nonspore forming, non-capsulated, non-motile bacilli.

BIOCHEMICAL REACTIONS

Gram stain Gram negative.

Metabolism - Facultatively anaerobic.

Catalase negative.

Oxidase positive.

Tryptophanase - negative.

Urease - negative.

Citrate negative.

Methyl red positive.

Voges-Proskauer negative.

CULTURE
They are aerobes and facultative anaerobe with a growth temperature ranging from 10C 45C
(optimal temperature being 37C). S. sonnei grow well even at 10C and 45C. They grow well on
conventional ordinary media but none grows on a simple glucose ammonium salts medium
unless supplemented with nicotinic acid and for some strains other growth

HEALTH IMPACTS
Shigellosis or bacillary dysentery disease.Symptoms - Fever, vomitting, abdominal pain and
mucoid bloody diarrhea.

3. Enterobacter aerogenes
MORPHOLOGY

The shape of E. aerogenes is rod-shaped (bacillus) yet short and almost rounded or spherical
(coccus).

BIOCHEMICAL REACTIONS

Gram Stain - Gram negative.

Motility - Positive

Aerobic Facultative

Oxidase- negative.

Catalase positive.

Citrate positive.

Indole negative.

CULTURE
For culture:

Blood Agar 5%, TSA Agar, and Nutrient Agar.

For selective isolation:

For maintenance:

MacConkey Agar and EMB Agar.

Blood Agar 5%, TSA Agar, and Nutrient Agar.

Temperature: 35 degrees C. (Environmental strains may grow better at 20-30 degrees C.)
Time: 16-18 hours.
Condition: Aerobic (facultative anaerobe).

HEALTH IMPACTS
E. aerogenes does not typically infect people with healthy immune systems. It is pathogenetic
and nosocomial (caused by treatment in hospital). Most of the bacterial infections are due to
careless transfers of bacteria from surgery or consistent treatment in hospitals for patients who
use venous or urethral catheters. E. aerogenes is often drug-resistant, and cannot be cured with
drugs. Antiseptic surgery and watchful waiting is often necessary to cure. Septic shock and organ
dysfunctions can be symptoms of an E. aerogenes infection.

4. Salmonella typhimurium

MORPHOLOGY

Straight rods (0.7-1.5 x 2.0-5.0 m). Most strains are motile with peritrochous flagella. They are
about 2-4 m in length x 0.6m in breadth. They are non-spore forming, non-capsulated, and
non-motile bacilli.
BIOCHEMICAL REACTIONS

MacConkey growth: +

Indole production: -

Methyl red: +

Voges-Proskauer: -

Citrate: + (S.Typhi = negative)

Hydrogen sulphide: +

Urea hydrolysis: -

Sucrose fermentation: -

Lactose fermentation: -

CULTURE
Brilliant Green agar, nutrient agar, and blood agar. Temperature: 35 degrees C. (Environmental
strains may grow better at 20-30 degrees C.)Time:
16-18 hours. Condition: Aerobic
(facultative anaerobe).
5. Proteus vulgaris

MORPHOLOGY
Proteus vulgaris Proteus vulgaris are swarms across the plate and gives no individual colonies.
Has unpleasant odour. Small (0.5 x 1-3 m) motile rod with peritrichous flagella.

BIOCHEMICAL REACTIONS

Gram stain; Gram negative.

Metabolism: Facultatively anaerobic

Catalas; +

Oxidase: -

Urease: +

D-glucose: +

Lactose: -

H2S gas: +

CULTURE
Proteus vulgaris Proteus vulgaris CLED agar is used to avoid that Proteus spp. are swarming.
MacConkey agar can also be used to avoid that Proteus spp. are swarming, if NaCl is omitted
from the medium.

HEALTH IMPACTS
Opportunist which belongs to the normal gut flora of animals and man. Can cause urinary tract
infections and wound infections

6. Pseudomonas aeruginosa
MORPHOLOGY
Pseudomonas aeruginosa Pseudomonas aeruginosa are large, flat and greenish colonies (2-4 mm
in diameter) with irregular edges and typical metallic luster. The color is most visible on for
instance Tri sugar-agar. Sometimes, a clear hemolysis zone is obtained on blood agar. Has
distinctive smell (caramel, strawberry or raspberry soda). Some strains produce a green
fluorescent pigment, pyoverdine. Some strains can also produce a blue pigment, pyocyanin.
Small motile rod (0.5-0.8 x 1.5-3 m) with a monotrichous flagellum.

BIOCHEMICALS REACTION

Gram stain: Gram negative.

Metabolism:
Is often classified as aerobic, but can also exploit NO3- as final
electron acceptor in the respiratory chain. Should, therefore, be classified as facultatively
anaerobic.

Catalase: +

Oxidase: +

Tryptophanase: -

Citrate +

Methyl red:

Voges-Proskauer: -.

Lactose fermentation: -

CULTURE
Brilliant Green agar, nutrient agar, and blood agar.Time:16-18 hours. Condition: Aerobic
(facultative anaerobe). Temperature optimum: 37C, but can also grow at 42C.

HEALTH IMPACTS
Pseudomonas aeruginosa is the most common cause of infections of burn injuries and of the
outer ear (otitis externa), and is the most frequent colonizer of medical devices (e.g., catheters).
Pseudomonas can, in rare circumstances, cause community-acquired pneumonias, as well as
ventilator-associated pneumonias.
7. Klebsiella pnuemoniae
MORPHOLOGY
Grey, round, shiny and mucoid colonies (2-3 mm in diameter.Does not give hemolysis on blood
agar. Nonmotile rods (0.3-1.0 x 0.6-6.0 m), which appear singly, in pars or in short chains.

BIOCHEMICAL REACTIONS

Gram stain: Gram negative

Metabolism: Facultatively anaerobic

Catalase: +

Oxidase:-

Tryptophanase: -

Indol: -

Urease: +

Citrate: +

Hydrogen sulphide: -,

Methyl red: -

Voges-Proskauer: +.

Lactose fermentation: +

CULTURE
SELMA or SELMA-Plus agar is used for milk samples and CLED agar for urine samples. Time:
16-18 hours. Condition: Aerobic (facultative anaerobe). Temperature optimum: 37C.

HEALTH IMPACTS
Cattle: coliform mastitis. Calf and foal: pneumonia. Mares: endometritis. Dog: urinary tract
infection
8. Yersinia pseudotuberculosis
Micromorphology
Motile rods with peritrichous flagella
BIOCHEMICAL REACTIONS

Gram stain: G negative.

Metabolism:Facultatively anaerobic

Catalase: +

Oxidase: -

Tryptophanase: -

Urease: +

H2S gas: -

CULTURE
They are aerobes and facultative anaerobe with a growth temperature ranging from 25C 37C.
Using blood agar or nutrient agar media.

HEALTH IMPACTS
Animals: pseudotuberculosis.
Man: Food poisoning, abdominal pain, and fever

9. Serratia marcescens
MORPHOLOGY
Forms opaque colonies, which can be pigmented (pink to red) or non-pigmented. Motile rods
(0,5-0,8 x 0,9-2,0 m) with peritrichous flagella
BIOCHEMICAL REACTIONS

Gram stain: G-

Metabolism: Facultatively anaerobic

Catalase: +

Oxidase: -

Citrate: +

Tryptophanase: -

Methyl red: +

Voges-Proskauer: +

CULTURE
They are aerobes and facultative anaerobe with a growth temperature ranging from 25C 37C.
Use blood and nutrient agar.

HEALTH IMPACTS

Opportunist, which can sometimes cause bovine mastitis and septicaemia in chickens (rare).
Nosocomial infections in man.

10.Providencia sp.
MORPHOLOGY
Relatively large, dull gray colonies; non-swarming.
Providencia spp. usually appear colorless on enteric agars such as Eosin Methylene Blue (EMB)
Agar.
Straight rods shape.

BIOCHEMICAL REACTIONS

Catalase-positive.

Oxidase-negative.

H 2 S-negative.

Urea is not hydrolyzed, except P. rettgeri (P. stuartii may be urease- positive,
approximately 15%).

Indole-positive (except P. heimbachae).

Methyl-Red-positive.

Voges-Proskauer-negative.

Gram Stain:Gram-negative.

Size: 0.6-0.8 micrometers by 1.5-2.5 micrometers.

Motility: Motile by peritrichous flagella.

Capsules:

Spores: None.

None.

CULTURE MEDIA

For culture: Tryptic Soy Agar or Blood Agar 5%.

For selective isolation: Simmons Citrate Agar and MacConkey Agar

Temperature:

37 degrees C.

Time:16-24 hours.

Condition: Aerobic.

HEALTH IMPACTS
Strains of P. stuartii and P. rettgeri may produce wound and burn infections. The rise in medical
importance of these organisms is associated with its' tendency to cause nosocomial infections
and with their marked resistance to numerous antibiotics.This species is also associated with
diarrhea, urinary tract infections, wound and burn infections, bacteremias, and poultry diseases.