ABSTRACT
Neisseria animaloris is considered to be a commensal of the canine and feline oral cavities. It is able to cause systemic infections in animals as well as humans, usually after a biting trauma has occurred. We recovered N. animaloris from chronically inflamed bite wounds on pectoral fins and tailstocks, from lungs and other internal organs of eight harbour porpoises. Gross and histopathological evidence suggest that fatal disseminated N. animaloris infections had occurred due to traumatic injury from grey seals. We therefore conclude that these porpoises survived a grey seal predatory attack, with the bite lesions representing the subsequent portal of entry for bacteria to infect the animals causing abscesses in multiple tissues, and eventually death. We demonstrate that forensic microbiology provides a useful tool for linking a perpetrator to its victim. Moreover, N. animaloris should be added to the list of potential zoonotic bacteria following interactions with seals, as the finding of systemic transfer to the lungs and other tissues of the harbour porpoises may suggest a potential to do likewise in humans.
Subject(s)
Forensic Genetics , Neisseria/pathogenicity , Seals, Earless/injuries , Wounds and Injuries/genetics , Animals , Animals, Wild/genetics , Animals, Wild/injuries , Animals, Wild/microbiology , Neisseria/genetics , Seals, Earless/genetics , Seals, Earless/microbiology , Wounds and Injuries/microbiology , Zoonoses/genetics , Zoonoses/microbiologyABSTRACT
Coryneform bacteria are usually considered as non-pathogenic when isolated from clinical specimens. We present a case of Brevibacterium otitidis neurosurgical infection in an immunocompetent patient, and highlight the difficulty with identification and interpretation of antimicrobial susceptibility results for this unusual pathogen.
Subject(s)
Actinomycetales Infections/microbiology , Brevibacterium/classification , Brevibacterium/isolation & purification , Diskectomy/adverse effects , Epidural Abscess/microbiology , Postoperative Complications/microbiology , Actinomycetales Infections/drug therapy , Actinomycetales Infections/etiology , Anti-Bacterial Agents/therapeutic use , Brevibacterium/genetics , Drug Resistance, Bacterial , Epidural Abscess/drug therapy , Epidural Abscess/etiology , Epidural Abscess/surgery , Female , Humans , Microbial Sensitivity Tests , Middle Aged , Postoperative Complications/drug therapy , RNA, Bacterial/genetics , RNA, Ribosomal, 16S/geneticsABSTRACT
Microvirgula aerodenitrificans is a denitrifying Gram-negative organism first described by Patureau et al. in 1998 (D. Patureau et al., Int. J. Syst. Bacteriol. 48:775-782, 1998). The organism has been isolated globally but has never been described as causative of clinical infection. We describe the first human case of bacteremia attributed to M. aerodenitrificans in an infant with Pompe's disease.
Subject(s)
Bacteremia/diagnosis , Bacteremia/pathology , Neisseriaceae Infections/diagnosis , Neisseriaceae Infections/pathology , Neisseriaceae/isolation & purification , Bacteremia/microbiology , DNA, Bacterial/chemistry , DNA, Bacterial/genetics , DNA, Ribosomal/chemistry , DNA, Ribosomal/genetics , Glycogen Storage Disease Type II/complications , Glycogen Storage Disease Type II/diagnosis , Humans , Infant , Male , Molecular Sequence Data , Neisseriaceae/classification , Neisseriaceae Infections/microbiology , RNA, Ribosomal, 16S/genetics , Recurrence , Sequence Analysis, DNAABSTRACT
We describe melioidosis associated with travel to Nigeria in a woman with diabetes, a major predisposing factor for this infection. With the prevalence of diabetes projected to increase dramatically in many developing countries, the global reach of melioidosis may expand.
Subject(s)
Anti-Bacterial Agents/administration & dosage , Burkholderia pseudomallei , Melioidosis , Amoxicillin-Potassium Clavulanate Combination/administration & dosage , Amoxicillin-Potassium Clavulanate Combination/therapeutic use , Anti-Bacterial Agents/therapeutic use , Burkholderia pseudomallei/drug effects , Burkholderia pseudomallei/genetics , Burkholderia pseudomallei/isolation & purification , DNA, Bacterial/analysis , Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2/physiopathology , Female , Fever , Humans , Melioidosis/diagnosis , Melioidosis/drug therapy , Melioidosis/microbiology , Melioidosis/transmission , Meropenem , Middle Aged , Multilocus Sequence Typing , Nigeria , Phylogeny , Risk Factors , Thienamycins/administration & dosage , Thienamycins/therapeutic use , Travel , Trimethoprim, Sulfamethoxazole Drug Combination/administration & dosage , Trimethoprim, Sulfamethoxazole Drug Combination/therapeutic useABSTRACT
Cellulosimicrobium funkei is a rare, opportunistic pathogen. We describe a case of bacteremia and possibly prosthetic valve endocarditis by this organism in a nonimmunocompromised patient. Useful phenotypic tests for differentiating C. funkei from Cellulosimicrobium cellulans and Cellulosimicrobium terreum include motility, raffinose fermentation, glycogen, D-xylose, and methyl-α-D-glucopyranoside assimilation, and growth at 35°C.
Subject(s)
Actinomycetales Infections/diagnosis , Actinomycetales Infections/microbiology , Actinomycetales/classification , Actinomycetales/isolation & purification , Bacteremia/diagnosis , Bacteremia/microbiology , Actinomycetales/genetics , Actinomycetales/physiology , Aged, 80 and over , Bacterial Typing Techniques , Carbohydrate Metabolism , Cluster Analysis , DNA, Bacterial/chemistry , DNA, Bacterial/genetics , DNA, Ribosomal/chemistry , DNA, Ribosomal/genetics , Fatty Acids/analysis , Humans , Male , Molecular Sequence Data , Phylogeny , RNA, Ribosomal, 16S/genetics , Sequence Analysis, DNAABSTRACT
Suttonella ornithocola, first isolated from the lungs of British tit species in 1996, was found to be a novel bacterium belonging to the family Cardiobacteriaceae. Comprehensive surveillance of garden bird mortality across Great Britain between April 2005 and April 2009 involved post mortem and microbiological examination of 82 tits (Paridae; multiple species) and six long-tailed tits (Aegithalidae; Aegithalos caudatus). S. ornithocola was isolated from six birds submitted from six incidents of morbidity and mortality involving Paridae and Aegithalidae species with a wide geographical distribution. The mortality incidents occurred sporadically at low incidence throughout the study period, which suggested that the infection is endemic in native bird populations, with a seasonal peak during early spring. Histopathological examination showed multiple foci of acute pulmonary necrosis associated with gram-negative cocco-bacillary bacteria. These findings supported the hypothesis that S. ornithocola is a primary pathogen of tits in Great Britain.
Subject(s)
Bird Diseases/microbiology , Cardiobacteriaceae , Gram-Negative Bacterial Infections/veterinary , Passeriformes/microbiology , Pneumonia/veterinary , Animals , Bird Diseases/mortality , Cardiobacteriaceae/pathogenicity , Female , Gram-Negative Bacterial Infections/microbiology , Gram-Negative Bacterial Infections/mortality , Male , Pneumonia/microbiology , Pneumonia/mortality , Seasons , United KingdomABSTRACT
Corynebacterium auriscanis has only previously been isolated from dogs and to our knowledge no cases of zoonotic transmission to humans have been reported. A case of a leg wound infection following a dog bite in a previously healthy human patient is described and confirms this organism to be a potential human pathogen.
Subject(s)
Bites and Stings/complications , Corynebacterium Infections/microbiology , Corynebacterium/isolation & purification , Dogs , Leg Injuries/microbiology , Wound Infection/microbiology , Adult , Animals , Corynebacterium/classification , Corynebacterium/genetics , Female , Humans , RNA, Ribosomal, 16S/genetics , Sequence Analysis, DNAABSTRACT
What is believed to be the first clinical isolate of 'Bordetella ansorpii' in the UK from an immunocompromised patient is described. The only previously documented isolation of 'B. ansorpii' was following the initial culture of a single strain from an epidermal cyst of a patient in Korea.
Subject(s)
Bordetella Infections/epidemiology , Bordetella Infections/microbiology , Bordetella/classification , Bordetella/isolation & purification , Immunocompromised Host , Aged, 80 and over , Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins/genetics , Bacterial Proteins/genetics , Bordetella/genetics , DNA, Ribosomal/analysis , Humans , Male , Molecular Sequence Data , RNA, Ribosomal, 16S/genetics , Receptors, Cell Surface/genetics , Sequence Analysis, DNA , United Kingdom/epidemiologyABSTRACT
A case is reported of prosthetic valve endocarditis due to Neisseria elongata subsp. elongata in a patient with Klinefelter's syndrome. This is believed to be only the third case of endocarditis reported due to this subspecies. N. elongata is difficult to identify, and is morphologically and biochemically similar to Kingella spp. Sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene is useful for identification. The patient was successfully treated with amoxicillin and gentamicin, followed by ceftriaxone.
Subject(s)
Endocarditis, Bacterial/microbiology , Heart Valve Prosthesis/microbiology , Klinefelter Syndrome/complications , Neisseria elongata/isolation & purification , Neisseriaceae Infections/microbiology , Prosthesis-Related Infections/microbiology , Aged , Amoxicillin/administration & dosage , Ceftriaxone/administration & dosage , DNA, Bacterial/chemistry , DNA, Bacterial/genetics , DNA, Ribosomal/chemistry , DNA, Ribosomal/genetics , Diagnosis, Differential , Endocarditis, Bacterial/drug therapy , Gentamicins/administration & dosage , Humans , Kingella/classification , Male , Molecular Sequence Data , Neisseria elongata/classification , Neisseriaceae Infections/drug therapy , Prosthesis-Related Infections/drug therapy , RNA, Ribosomal, 16S/genetics , Sequence Analysis, DNAABSTRACT
Phenotypic and phylogenetic studies were performed on three strains of Gram-negative, rod-shaped organisms recovered from dead birds of the tit families (blue tit, coal tit and long-tailed tit). Morphological, cultural and biochemical studies indicated that the organisms were related to the family Cardiobacteriaceae in the gamma-subclass of the Proteobacteria. Comparative 16S rRNA gene sequencing studies confirmed these findings and demonstrated that the bacterium represents a hitherto unknown subline within this family. The closest phylogenetic relative of the strains isolated from the birds was found to be Suttonella indologenes, although a sequence divergence of approximately 5 % demonstrated that the unknown bacterium represented a novel species. On the basis of the results of the phylogenetic analysis and phenotypic criteria, it is proposed that the bacteria recovered from the diseased birds represent a novel species, Suttonella ornithocola sp. nov., with strain B6/99/2T (=CCUG 49457T=NCTC 13337T) as the type strain.
Subject(s)
Birds/microbiology , Cardiobacteriaceae/classification , RNA, Ribosomal, 16S/analysis , Animals , Cardiobacteriaceae/genetics , Molecular Sequence Data , Phenotype , RNA, Ribosomal, 16S/genetics , Sequence Analysis, DNAABSTRACT
We describe the first clinical isolate of Bordetella petrii from a patient with mandibular osteomyelitis. The only previously documented isolation of B. petrii occurred after the initial culture of a single strain from an environmental source.
Subject(s)
Bordetella Infections/microbiology , Bordetella/classification , Osteomyelitis/microbiology , Aged , Amoxicillin-Potassium Clavulanate Combination/therapeutic use , Anti-Bacterial Agents/therapeutic use , Bordetella/drug effects , Bordetella/genetics , Bordetella Infections/drug therapy , Drug Resistance, Multiple, Bacterial , Humans , Male , Osteomyelitis/drug therapyABSTRACT
We report the isolation and characterization of a hitherto unknown gram-negative, rod-shaped Neisseria-like organism from an infected wound resulting from a bite from a kinkajou. Based on both phenotypic and phylogenetic evidence, it is proposed that the unknown organism be classified as a new species, Kingella potus sp. nov.