| Raoultella terrigena | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Raoultella terrigena colonies after a 48-hour culture on sheep blood agar under aerobic conditions. | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Bacteria |
| Phylum: | Pseudomonadota |
| Class: | Gammaproteobacteria |
| Order: | Enterobacterales |
| Family: | Enterobacteriaceae |
| Genus: | Raoultella |
| Species: | R. terrigena |
| Binomial name | |
| Raoultella terrigena | |
Raoultella terrigena is a Gram-negative bacterial species of the genus Raoultella , previously classified in the genus Klebsiella . [1] It has primarily been isolated from soil and water samples, [2] but rarely from humans. Studies have estimated fewer than 1% of healthy people harbor this species. [3] This species has rarely been shown to cause disease [4] in humans despite expressing many of the virulence factors expressed by other Klebsiella species such as Klebsiella pneumoniae . [5]
Phylogenic comparisons between the 16s rRNA and rpoB genes of this and other Klebsiella species have suggested classification into a newer genus, Raoultella , [1] a reclassification that has been adopted. [6]
R. terrigena is considered a factor in melamine toxicity. In culture, R. terrigena was shown to convert melamine to cyanuric acid directly. Rats colonized by R. terrigena showed greater melamine-induced kidney damage compared to those not colonized. [7]