CHAPTER 25 ■ motile, peritrichous

Alcaligenes, Bordetella (Non-pertussis), ■ O. urethralis

Comamonas, and Similar Organisms ■ Non-motile
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Roseomonas sp.
GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS ■ Coccoid, plump rods in pairs or short chains
■ Motile
■ 1 or 2 polar flagella

These genera are grouped together EPIDEMIOLOGY

because most of them are oxidase-positive, non-
glucose utilizers capable of growth on MacConkey
Agar

Achromobacter sp. The diversity of the organism’s habitats is

■ Gram-negative rods reflected in the mode of transmission.
■ Non-sporulating
Achromobacter denitrificans
■ Motile
■ Environmental isolate
■ 1-20 peritrichous flagella
■ Involves exposure of debilitated patients to
■ Some are capable of anaerobic growth
contaminated fluids or contaminated
solutions
Alcaligenes sp.
■ Gram-negative rods/coccobacilli
Bordetella bronchiseptica
■ Strict aerobic
■ Involves close contact with animals
■ Oxidase positive
■ Catalase positive Bordetella holmesii
■ Motile ■ Detected only only in human blood
■ 1-12 peritrichous flagella ■ No niche or mode of transmission
■ Pathogenic: A. faecalis
■ A. faecalis phenochilus
■ A. faecalis parafaecalis PATHOGENESIS AND SPECTRUM OF
DISEASE
Comamonas sp. & Delftia sp.
■ Gram-negative rods
■ Aerobic Achromobacter sp.
■ Non-spore forming ■ Most associated with bacteremia,
■ Straight or slightly curves meningitis, pneumonia, and peritonitis -
■ 1 or more polar flagella nosocomial infections
■ Comamonas are typically environmental sp ■ Achromobacter xyloxidans
that can be opportunistic nosocomial ■ Recovered from cystic fibrosis
pathogens ■ Archomobacter paucaudii
■ Recovered from pharyngeal blood,
Oligella sp. wounds, blood, and ear discharge
■ Has 2 asaccharolytic coccobacilli sp:
■ O. urealytica Alcaligenes denitrificans

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 ■ Recovered from urine, buccal cavity, pleural
fluid, and eye secretions.
Alcaligenes faecalis
■ Causes bacteremia, ocular infection,
pancreatic abscess, bone infection, urine,
and ear discharge.
Comamonas sp.
■ Causes endocarditis, meningitis, catheter-
associated bacteremia
■ Recovered in sputum of cystic fibrosis
patients
Oligella ureolytica
■ Isolated from human urinary tract.
DIAGNOSIS: DIRECT DETECTION
METHODS
There are no specific procedures for the
detection of these organisms in clinical material.
DIAGNOSIS: CULTIVATION
Most of these organisms grow well on BA,
CA, MAC, Thioglycollate broth, and Brain-heart
infusion.
DIAGNOSIS: APPROACH TO
IDENTIFICATION
Strategies for identification of these genera
therefore are based on the use of conventional
biochemical tests and special straining for flagella.
Flagella and Motility Placement: easiest way to
differentiate among these organisms.
Comments Regarding Specific Organisms
Bordetella bronchiseptica
■ Oxidase positive
■ Urease positive
■ Differentiated from C. pauculus and O.
urealytica
Oligella ureolytica & Oligella urethralis
■ Urease hydrolysis is key test to differentiate
■ O. ureolytica turns potive in minutes
Achromobacter denitrificans & Alcaligenes
peicadii
■ Reduces to nitrate to nitrite but only A.
denitrificans can further convert nitrite to
gas
Pseudomonas alcaligenes & Pseudomonas
pseudoalcaligenes
■ P. alcaligenes cannot oxidize fructose
Achromobacter sp.
■ Positive for oxidase and catalase test
■ Negative of DNase, lyase, decarboxylase,
ornithine decarboxylase
Delftia acidovorance
■ Produces and orange color when Kovac’s
rgt is added to tryptone broth. (indole)
Roseomonas sp.
■ Resistant to vancomycin
DIAGNOSIS: APPROACH TO
IDENTIFICATION
Validated susceptibility testing methods do
not exist for these organisms.
Lack of validated in vitro susceptibility
testing methods does not allow definitive treatment
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and testing guidelines to be given for most
organisms.

Achromobacter sp. & Alcaligenes sp.

■ Broth and agar dilution
■ Break-point methods
■ E-test

Bordetella parapertussis
■ An exception
■ Erythromycin is the antimicrobial agent of
choice for whooping cough.

Alcaligenes xylosoxidans
■ Susceptible to B-lactams, ureidopenicillins,
and carbapenems.
■ Resistant to narrow-spectrum penicillins and
cephalosporins.

PREVENTION

No recommended vaccination or
prophylactic protocols since they do not generally
pose a threat to human health.

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By: Quebec, Czarina 2017