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International Journal of Systematic and... Sep 2004A previously undescribed, Gram-positive, catalase-negative, coccus-shaped organism that originated from a human wound was subjected to taxonomic study. On the basis of...
A previously undescribed, Gram-positive, catalase-negative, coccus-shaped organism that originated from a human wound was subjected to taxonomic study. On the basis of its cellular morphology and the results of biochemical testing, the unknown organism was identified tentatively as a member of the genus Helcococcus, but it did not correspond to either of the two recognized species of this genus. Comparative 16S rRNA gene sequencing studies confirmed that the bacterium was associated phylogenetically with the genus Helcococcus, with the unidentified organism forming a hitherto unknown subline within the genus. On the basis of biochemical, molecular chemical and molecular phylogenetic evidence, it is proposed that the unknown organism that was recovered from a human wound should be classified as a novel species of the genus Helcococcus, namely Helcococcus sueciensis sp. nov. The type strain is CCUG 47334T (= CIP 108183T).
Topics: Bacterial Proteins; Bacterial Typing Techniques; Base Composition; Catalase; DNA, Bacterial; DNA, Ribosomal; Genes, rRNA; Gram-Positive Bacteria; Gram-Positive Bacterial Infections; Humans; Molecular Sequence Data; Phylogeny; Proteome; RNA, Bacterial; RNA, Ribosomal, 16S; Sequence Analysis, DNA; Wound Infection; Wounds and Injuries
PubMed: 15388710
DOI: 10.1099/ijs.0.63077-0 -
Journal of Clinical Microbiology Mar 2014Helcococcus spp. are Gram-positive, catalase-negative, facultatively anaerobic cocci that are associated with wound and prosthetic joint infections as well bacteremia...
Helcococcus spp. are Gram-positive, catalase-negative, facultatively anaerobic cocci that are associated with wound and prosthetic joint infections as well bacteremia and empyema. Five Helcococcus spp. strains were isolated from our patient population, including 2 strains of Helcococcus kunzii from trauma-associated wounds, 2 Helcococcus sueciensis strains from blood and abscess, and a novel Helcococcus spp. strain from blood associated with urosepsis. Based on the phenotypic and phylogenetic evidence, we propose that the unknown bacterium be classified as Helcococcus seattlensis sp. nov. We found that all 5 tested Helcococcus strains grew as satellite colonies around Staphylococcus aureus and, interestingly, both H. kunzii strains were isolated together with S. aureus. In addition to 16S rRNA gene sequencing, conventional methods for leucine aminopeptidase (LAP) and pyrrolidonyl arylamidase (PYR) testing can be cost-effective and efficient for differentiation of Helcococcus spp. from Abiotrophia and Granulicatella species. Using nonstandard methods, we found that all tested Helcococcus spp. had high MICs of >4/76 μg/ml for trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, an antibiotic commonly used to treat urinary tract infections. High MICs for erythromycin, azithromycin, and clindamycin, and intermediate to high MICs for moxifloxacin, levofloxacin, and gentamicin were also observed among the Helcococcus strains.
Topics: Anti-Bacterial Agents; Bacterial Typing Techniques; Blood; DNA, Bacterial; DNA, Ribosomal; Gram-Positive Bacteria; Gram-Positive Bacterial Infections; Humans; Microbial Sensitivity Tests; Molecular Sequence Data; RNA, Ribosomal, 16S; Sepsis; Sequence Analysis, DNA; Urinary Tract Infections
PubMed: 24371247
DOI: 10.1128/JCM.03076-13