Morganella morganii

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Morganella morganii
Morganella morganii.jpg
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Bacteria
Phylum: Pseudomonadota
Class: Gammaproteobacteria
Order: Enterobacterales
Family: Morganellaceae
Genus: Morganella
Fulton, 1943
Species:
M. morganii
Binomial name
Morganella morganii
Winslow et al., 1919
Fulton, 1943
Brenner et al., 1978 [1]
Subspecies

M. m. morganii
M. m. sibonii

Synonyms
  • Proteus morganii
    Winslow et al., 1919
    Yale, 1939
    [1]

Morganella morganii is a species of Gram-negative bacteria. [2] It has a commensal relationship within the intestinal tracts of humans, mammals, and reptiles as normal flora. [2] Although M. morganii has a wide distribution, it is considered an uncommon cause of community-acquired infection, and it is most often encountered in postoperative and other nosocomial infections, such as urinary tract infections. [3]

Contents

Historical identification and systematics

Morganella morganii was first described by a British bacteriologist H. de R. Morgan in 1906 as Morgan's bacillus. Morgan isolated the bacterium from stools of infants who were noted to have had "summer diarrhea". [4] Later in 1919, Winslow et al. named Morgan's bacillus, Bacillus morganii. In 1936, though, Rauss renamed B. morganii as Proteus morganii. Fulton, in 1943, showed that B. columbensis and P. morganii were the same and defined the genus Morganella, due to the DNA-DNA hybridization. [5] In 1943, Fulton attempted to define a subspecies, M. m. columbensis. [6] However, in 1962, a review article by Ewing reported that M. columbensis had been re-identified as Escherichia coli , thereby removing that organism from the genus Morganella. [6]

Microbiology

M. morganii grown on blood agar Morganella morganii on blood agar.jpg
M. morganii grown on blood agar

Morganella morganii is facultatively anaerobic and oxidase-negative. Its colonies appear off-white and opaque in color, when grown on agar plates. [7] M. morganii cells are straight rods, about 0.6–0.7  μm in diameter and 1.0–1.7 μm in length. This organism moves by way of peritrichous flagella, but some strains do not form flagella at 30 °C (86 °F). [8]

M. morganii is split into two subspecies: M. morganii subsp. morganii and M. morganii subsp. sibonii. [6] M. morganii subsp. sibonii is able to ferment trehalose, whereas subsp. morganii cannot, and this is the primary phenotype used to differentiate them. [6]

M. morganii can produce the enzyme catalase, so it is able to convert hydrogen peroxide to water and oxygen. This is a common enzyme found in most living organisms. In addition, it is indole test-positive, meaning that this organism can split tryptophan to indole, pyruvate, and ammonia. M. morganii also produces urease, allowing it to break down urea. [9] Methyl red tests positive in M. morganii, an indicator dye that turns red due to the bacterium's acid production during fermentation. [7] Similar bacteria from the closely related Proteus and Providencia genera, M. morganii is able to deaminate tryptophan through the production of tryptophan deaminase (TDA). [ citation needed ]

Role of bacteria

Although a rare human pathogen, M. morganii has been reported as a cause of urinary tract infections, nosocomial surgical wound infections, peritonitis, central nervous system infection, endophthalmitis, pneumonia, chorioamnionitis, neonatal sepsis, pyomyositis, necrotizing fasciitis, and arthritis. Numerous cases of nosocomial infection have been described, usually as postsurgical wound infections or urinary tract infections. Patients in whom bacteremia develops are typically immunocompromised, diabetic, or elderly, or have at least one serious underlying disease.[ citation needed ]M. morganii has been regarded as a normally harmless opportunistic pathogen, but some strains carry "antibiotic-resistant plasmids" and have been associated with nosocomial outbreaks of infections. [10] Several reports indicate M. morganii causes sepsis, ecthyma, endophthalmitis, and chorioamnionitis, and more commonly urinary tract infections, soft tissue infections, septic arthritis, meningitis, and bacteremia, in the latter 2 cases with frequent fatal consequences. [11]

In a rare case published in 2003, a patient presented with bilateral necrosis of both upper and lower eyelids. Upon microbial analysis, the areas were shown to have heavy growth of M. morganii. [12]

Treatment and antibiotic resistance

Treatment of M. morganii infections may include:[ citation needed ]

A study conducted at the University Hospital at Heraklion, Crete, Greece, showed a 92% success rate in the use of these antibiotics. [13]

However, some M. morganii strains are resistant to penicillin, ampicillin/sulbactam, oxacillin, first-generation and second-generation cephalosporins, macrolides, lincosamides, fosfomycin, colistin, and polymyxin B. [3] The emergence of highly resistant strains of M. morganii have been associated with use of third-generation cephalosporins. [3]

Polymicrobial infections are most abundantly caused by this microbe which additionally damages the skin, soft tissues, and urogenital tract; these can be cured through use of the aforementioned antibiotics. [13]

Related Research Articles

Bloodstream infections (BSIs), septicemia which include bacteremias when the infections are bacterial and fungemias when the infections are fungal, are infections present in the blood. Blood is normally a sterile environment, so the detection of microbes in the blood is always abnormal. A bloodstream infection is different from sepsis, which is the host response to bacteria.

<i>Klebsiella pneumoniae</i> Species of bacterium

Klebsiella pneumoniae is a Gram-negative, non-motile, encapsulated, lactose-fermenting, facultative anaerobic, rod-shaped bacterium. It appears as a mucoid lactose fermenter on MacConkey agar.

<i>Proteus vulgaris</i> Species of bacterium

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. It is grouped with the Morganellaceae and is an opportunistic pathogen of humans. It is known to cause wound infections and other species of its genera are known to cause urinary tract infections.

<i>Proteus</i> (bacterium) Genus of bacteria

Proteus is a genus of Gram-negative bacteria. It is a rod shaped, aerobic and motile bacteria, which is able to migrate across surfaces due its “swarming” characteristic in temperatures between 20 and 37 °C. Their size generally ranges from 0.4–0.8 μm in diameter and 1.0–3.0 μm in length. They tend to have an ammonia smell. Proteus bacilli are widely distributed in nature as saprophytes, being found in decomposing animal matter, sewage, manure soil, the mammalian intestine, and human and animal feces. They are opportunistic pathogens, commonly responsible for urinary and septic infections, often nosocomial.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cefazolin</span> Antibiotic medication

Cefazolin, also known as cefazoline and cephazolin, is a first-generation cephalosporin antibiotic used for the treatment of a number of bacterial infections. Specifically it is used to treat cellulitis, urinary tract infections, pneumonia, endocarditis, joint infection, and biliary tract infections. It is also used to prevent group B streptococcal disease around the time of delivery and before surgery. It is typically given by injection into a muscle or vein.

<i>Klebsiella</i> Genus of gram-negative bacteria

Klebsiella is a genus of Gram-negative, oxidase-negative, rod-shaped bacteria with a prominent polysaccharide-based capsule.

<i>Proteus mirabilis</i> Species of bacterium

Proteus mirabilis is a Gram-negative, facultatively anaerobic, rod-shaped bacterium. It shows swarming motility and urease activity. P. mirabilis causes 90% of all Proteus infections in humans. It is widely distributed in soil and water. Proteus mirabilis can migrate across the surface of solid media or devices using a type of cooperative group motility called swarming. Proteus mirabilis is most frequently associated with infections of the urinary tract, especially in complicated or catheter-associated urinary tract infections.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Coliform bacteria</span> Group of bacterial species

Coliform bacteria are defined as either motile or non-motile Gram-negative non-spore forming bacilli that possess β-galactosidase to produce acids and gases under their optimal growth temperature of 35–37 °C. They can be aerobes or facultative aerobes, and are a commonly used indicator of low sanitary quality of foods, milk, and water. Coliforms can be found in the aquatic environment, in soil and on vegetation; they are universally present in large numbers in the feces of warm-blooded animals as they are known to inhabit the gastrointestinal system. While coliform bacteria are not normally causes of serious illness, they are easy to culture, and their presence is used to infer that other pathogenic organisms of fecal origin may be present in a sample, or that said sample is not safe to consume. Such pathogens include disease-causing bacteria, viruses, or protozoa and many multicellular parasites.

<i>Enterobacter</i> Genus of bacteria

Enterobacter is a genus of common Gram-negative, facultatively anaerobic, rod-shaped, non-spore-forming bacteria of the family Enterobacteriaceae. Cultures are found in soil, water, sewage, feces and gut environments. It is the type genus of the order Enterobacterales. Several strains of these bacteria are pathogenic and cause opportunistic infections in immunocompromised hosts and in those who are on mechanical ventilation. The urinary and respiratory tracts are the most common sites of infection. The genus Enterobacter is a member of the coliform group of bacteria. It does not belong to the fecal coliforms group of bacteria, unlike Escherichia coli, because it is incapable of growth at 44.5 °C in the presence of bile salts. Some of them show quorum sensing properties.

<i>Staphylococcus saprophyticus</i> Species of bacterium

Staphylococcus saprophyticus is a Gram-positive coccus belonging to the genus Staphylococcus. S. saprophyticus is a common cause of community-acquired urinary tract infections.

<i>Moraxella catarrhalis</i> Species of bacterium

Moraxella catarrhalis is a fastidious, nonmotile, Gram-negative, aerobic, oxidase-positive diplococcus that can cause infections of the respiratory system, middle ear, eye, central nervous system, and joints of humans. It causes the infection of the host cell by sticking to the host cell using trimeric autotransporter adhesins.

Streptococcus bovis is a species of Gram-positive bacteria that in humans is associated with urinary tract infections, endocarditis, sepsis, and colorectal cancer. S. gallolyticus is commonly found in the alimentary tract of cattle, sheep, and other ruminants, and may cause ruminal acidosis or feedlot bloat. It is also associated with spontaneous bacterial peritonitis, a frequent complication occurring in patients affected by cirrhosis. Equivalence with Streptococcus equinus has been contested.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ecthyma gangrenosum</span> Medical condition

Ecthyma gangrenosum is a type of skin lesion characterized by vesicles or blisters which rapidly evolve into pustules and necrotic ulcers with undermined tender erythematous border. "Ecthyma" means a pus forming infection of the skin with an ulcer, "gangrenosum" refers to the accompanying gangrene or necrosis. It is classically associated with Pseudomonas aeruginosa bacteremia, but it is not pathognomonic. Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a gram negative, aerobic bacillus.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Purple urine bag syndrome</span> Medical condition

Purple urine bag syndrome (PUBS) is a medical syndrome where purple discoloration of urine occurs in people with urinary catheters and co-existent urinary tract infection. Bacteria in the urine produce the enzyme indoxyl sulfatase. This converts indoxyl sulfate in the urine into the red and blue colored compounds indirubin and indigo. The most commonly implicated bacteria are Providencia stuartii, Providencia rettgeri, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Proteus mirabilis, Escherichia coli, Morganella morganii, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

Staphylococcus felis is a Gram-positive, coagulase-negative member of the bacterial genus Staphylococcus consisting of clustered cocci. It demonstrates limited hemolytic activity, but it does show evidence of urease activity and the ability to use sucrose, mannose, and trehalose. S. felis has been isolated from and is associated with skin infections in cats.

<i>Proteus penneri</i> Species of bacterium

Proteus penneri is a Gram-negative, facultatively anaerobic, rod-shaped bacterium. It is an invasive pathogen and a cause of nosocomial infections of the urinary tract or open wounds. Pathogens have been isolated mainly from the urine of patients with abnormalities in the urinary tract, and from stool. P. penneri strains are naturally resistant to numerous antibiotics, including penicillin G, amoxicillin, cephalosporins, oxacillin, and most macrolides, but are naturally sensitive to aminoglycosides, carbapenems, aztreonam, quinolones, sulphamethoxazole, and co-trimoxazole. Isolates of P. penneri have been found to be multiple drug-resistant (MDR) with resistance to six to eight drugs. β-lactamase production has also been identified in some isolates.

<i>Aerococcus urinae</i> Species of bacterium

Aerococcus urinae is a Gram-positive bacterium associated with urinary tract infections.

Providencia rettgeri, is a Gram negative bacterium that is commonly found in both water and land environments. P. rettgeri is in the genus Providencia, along with Providencia stuartii, Providencia alcalifaciens, and Providencia rustigianii. P. rettgeri can be incubated at 37 °C in nutrient agar or nutrient broth. It was first discovered in 1904 after a waterfowl epidemic. Strains of the species have also been isolated from nematodes of the genus Heterorhabditis. Providencia rettgeri also found in marine environment.

<i>Achromobacter xylosoxidans</i> Species of bacterium

Achromobacter xylosoxidans is a Gram-negative, aerobic, oxidase and catalase-positive, motile bacterium with peritrichous flagella, from the genus Achromobacter. It is generally found in wet environments. Achromobacter xylosoxidans can cause infections such as bacteremia, especially in patients with cystic fibrosis. In 2013, the complete genome of an A. xylosoxidans strain from a patient with cystic fibrosis was sequenced.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Morganellaceae</span> Family of bacteria

The Morganellaceae are a family of Gram-negative bacteria that include some important human pathogens formerly classified as Enterobacteriaceae. This family is a member of the order Enterobacterales in the class Gammaproteobacteria of the phylum Pseudomonadota. Genera in this family include the type genus Morganella, along with Arsenophonus, Cosenzaea, Moellerella, Photorhabdus, Proteus, Providencia and Xenorhabdus.

References

  1. 1 2 UniProt. Morganella morganii (Proteus morganii)
  2. 1 2 eMedicine. Morganella infections
  3. 1 2 3 "Morganella infections". Medscape . Retrieved 5 December 2012.
  4. Pulaski, E. J.; Deitz, G. W. (1940). "Morgan's bacillus septicemia". Journal of the American Medical Association. 115 (11): 922. doi:10.1001/jama.1940.72810370001008. ISSN   0002-9955.
  5. Chen, Yu-Tin; Peng, Hwei-Ling; Shia, Wei-Chung; Hsu, Fang-Rong; Ken, Chuian-Fu; Tsao, Yu-Ming; Chen, Chang-Hua; Liu, Chun-Eng; Hsieh, Ming-Feng; Chen, Huang-Chi; Tang, Chuan-Yi; Ku, Tien-Hsiung (2012). "Whole-genome sequencing and identification of Morganella morganii KT pathogenicity-related genes". BMC Genomics . 13 (Suppl 7): S4. doi: 10.1186/1471-2164-13-S7-S4 . ISSN   1471-2164. PMC   3521468 . PMID   23282187.
  6. 1 2 3 4 O'Hara CM, Brenner FW, Miller JM (13 October 2000). "Classification, identification, and clinical significance of Proteus, Providencia, and Morganella". Clinical Microbiology Reviews . 4. 13 (4): 534–546. doi:10.1128/cmr.13.4.534-546.2000. PMC   88947 . PMID   11023955.
  7. 1 2 Herrara, Jose. "Morganella morganii". Truman State University Biology. Truman State University. Archived from the original on 13 December 2012. Retrieved 6 December 2012.
  8. "Morganella morganii". University of Windsor . Retrieved 6 December 2012.
  9. Hu, L T; Nicholson, E B; Jones, BD; Lynch, MJ; Mobley, HL (June 1990). "Morganella morganii urease: purification, characterization, and isolation of gene sequences". J Bacteriol. 172 (6): 3073–80. doi:10.1128/jb.172.6.3073-3080.1990. PMC   209110 . PMID   2345135.
  10. Senior, W; S. Voros (1990). "Protein profile typing--a new method of typing Morganella morganii strains" (PDF). Journal of Medical Microbiology . 33 (4): 259–264. doi:10.1099/00222615-33-4-259. PMID   1701835. Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 September 2011. Retrieved 6 December 2012.
  11. Singla, Nidhi; Neelam Kaistha; Neelam Gulati; Jagdish Chander (July–September 2010). "Morganella morganii could be an important intensive care unit pathogen". Indian Journal of Critical Care Medicine . 14 (3): 154–155. doi: 10.4103/0972-5229.74176 . PMC   3021833 . PMID   21253351.
  12. Shenoy MD; AU Shenoy; AM Rajay; ZH al Mahrooqui (2003). "Necrotic Periorbital Ulceration due to Morganella morganii" (PDF). Asian Journal of Ophthalmology. 1. 5. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2 February 2014. Retrieved 10 December 2012.
  13. 1 2 Falagas, M.E.; P.K. Kavvadia; E. Mantadakis; D.P. Kofteridis; I.A. Bliziotis; E. Saloustros; S. Maraki; G. Samonis (2006). "Morganella morganii infections in General Tertiary Hospital". Clinical and Epidemiology Study. 34 (6): 315–321. doi:10.1007/s15010-006-6682-3. PMID   17180585. S2CID   6599259.

Further reading