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Journal of Clinical Microbiology Apr 2002We report a case of Serratia ficaria endophthalmitis in a 73-year-old man. The patient's ocular history included a chemical burn, glaucoma, and corneal transplantation....
We report a case of Serratia ficaria endophthalmitis in a 73-year-old man. The patient's ocular history included a chemical burn, glaucoma, and corneal transplantation. S. ficaria is part of the fig tree ecosystem and is rarely isolated from clinical specimens. When it has been previously implicated as an agent of disease, the patients have been treated successfully and there have been no complications. In our patient, however, the infection resulted in the loss of the infected eye. This case illustrates that S. ficaria infection in a compromised patient can have serious consequences.
Topics: Aged; Endophthalmitis; Humans; Male; Serratia; Serratia Infections
PubMed: 11923398
DOI: 10.1128/JCM.40.4.1563-1564.2002 -
Journal of Clinical Microbiology Sep 1994Serratia ficaria was first described in 1979 as part of the fig tree ecosystem (P.A.D. Grimont, F. Grimont, and M. P. Starr, Curr. Microbiol. 2:277-282, 1979). Since... (Review)
Review
Serratia ficaria was first described in 1979 as part of the fig tree ecosystem (P.A.D. Grimont, F. Grimont, and M. P. Starr, Curr. Microbiol. 2:277-282, 1979). Since then, it has been isolated from clinical specimens from a few human patients (C. Bollet, J. Freney, P. de Micco, F. Grimont, and P.A.D. Grimont, Méd. Mal. Infect. 20:97-100, 1990; J.A. Brouillard, W. Hansen, and A. Compere, J. Clin. Microbiol. 19:902-904, 1984; H. Darbas, H. Jean-Pierre, G. Boyer, and M. Riviere, Méd. Mal. Infect. 23:269-270, 1993; V.J. Gill, J.J. Farmer, III, P.A.D. Grimont, M.A. Asbury, and C.L. McIntosh, J. Clin. Microbiol. 14:234-236, 1981; F.D. Pien and J.J. Farmer III, South. Med. J. 76:1591-1592, 1983; C. Richard, J. de Coquet, and C. Suc, Méd. Mal. Infect. 19:45-47, 1989), but the pathogenicity of S. ficaria was always questionable. We are reporting the case of an aged cancer patient who developed S. ficaria septicemia. The habitat of this organism and its potential role as a pathogen are discussed.
Topics: Adenocarcinoma; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Animals; Environmental Exposure; Fruit; Humans; Hymenoptera; Immunocompromised Host; Male; Opportunistic Infections; Postoperative Complications; Pylorus; Sepsis; Serratia; Serratia Infections; Shock, Septic; Stomach Neoplasms
PubMed: 7814560
DOI: 10.1128/jcm.32.9.2285-2288.1994 -
PloS One 2022Coliform bacteria are major causative agents of bovine mastitis, a disease that has devastating effect on dairy animal health and milk production. This cross-sectional...
BACKGROUND
Coliform bacteria are major causative agents of bovine mastitis, a disease that has devastating effect on dairy animal health and milk production. This cross-sectional study, carried out in the North West region of Cameroon, sought to determine the prevalence of bovine mastitis, coliforms associated with bovine mastitis, risk factors for infection and the antibiotic resistance pattern of coliform bacterial isolates.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
A total of 1608 udder quarters were sampled from 411 cows using a questionnaire, clinical examination, California Mastitis Test and milk culture. Primary isolation of coliform bacteria was done on MacConkey agar while identification of coliforms employed Gram-staining and biochemical testing. Each coliform bacterial isolate was challenged with 11 antibiotics using the Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion method.
RESULTS
The prevalence of mastitis was 53.0% (218/411) and 33.1% (532/1608) at the cow- and quarter-levels respectively. Overall, 21.9% (90/411) cows and 8.2% (132/1608) udder quarters showed coliform mastitis. Escherichia coli was isolated in 7.0% of mastitis milk, and other coliforms isolated were Enterobacter cloacae (12.6%), Klebsiella pneumoniae (2.4%), Enterobacter sakazakii (1.1%), Klebsiella oxytoca (0.8%), Citrobacter freudii (0.4%), Serratia ficaria (0.4%) and Serratia liquefaciens (0.2%). Lactation stage, breed, history of mastitis and moist/muddy faeces contaminated environment were significantly associated (P-value < 0.05) with coliform mastitis. Coliform isolates (99.0%; 203/205) were resistant to at least one antibiotic tested. Amoxicillin had the highest resistance (88.8%) while norfloxacin had the least resistance (3.4%). Multidrug resistance was exhibited by 52.7% (108/205) of the isolates in a proportion of 27.8% Enterobacter cloacae, 10.7% E. coli, 6.3% Klebsiella pneumoniae, 2.9% Enterobacter sakazakii, 2.0% Klebsiella oxytoca, 1.0% Citrobacter freundii, 1.0% Serratia ficaria, 0.5% Serratia liquefaciens and 0.5% Serratia odorifera.
CONCLUSION
Results indicate a need to educate these dairy farmers about mastitis (particularly subclinical), proper hygiene methods in milking and the public health implications of consuming contaminated raw milk.
Topics: Animals; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Cameroon; Cattle; Cross-Sectional Studies; Drug Resistance, Microbial; Escherichia coli; Female; Humans; Klebsiella pneumoniae; Lactation; Mastitis, Bovine; Milk; Prevalence; Risk Factors; Serratia
PubMed: 35881624
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0268247 -
Journal of Clinical Microbiology Nov 1998Serratia ficaria, an enterobacterium involved in the fig tree ecosystem, has been isolated from human clinical samples in rare instances, and its role as a pathogen is... (Comparative Study)
Comparative Study
Serratia ficaria, an enterobacterium involved in the fig tree ecosystem, has been isolated from human clinical samples in rare instances, and its role as a pathogen is unclear. In 7 years, we have isolated S. ficaria from seven patients; it was the only pathogen in 4 patients, including a patient with septicemia described previously and three patients with gallbladder empyemas described in the present report. From March 1995 to July 1997, the incidence of biliary infections due to S. ficaria was 0.7%. We discuss the digestive carriage of this bacterium and its epidemiology with respect to the fig tree life cycle. Since fig trees grow around the Mediterranean as well as in the United States (California, Louisiana, Hawaii), S. ficaria should be more frequently isolated. In our experience, various strains have been misidentified or unidentified by commercial systems. Incorrect identification could be an additional explanation for the paucity of reported cases. S. ficaria produces nonpigmented, lactose-negative colonies which give off a potatolike odor. This odor is the primary feature of S. ficaria and must prompt reexamination of the identifications proposed by commercial systems. We tested 42 novel strains using three commercial systems: Vitek gram-negative identification (GNI) cards and API 20E and ID 32E strips (bioMérieux, Marcy-l'Etoile, France). The percentages of positivity that we have obtained were lower than those published previously for the following characteristics: lipase, gelatinase, DNase, and rhamnose. The best system for the recognition of S. ficaria is ID 32E, which correctly identified 27 of 42 strains. The API 20E system gave correct identifications for only two strains. S. ficaria was not present in the Vitek GNI card system database.
Topics: Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Bacterial Typing Techniques; Biliary Tract Diseases; Ecosystem; Environmental Microbiology; Evaluation Studies as Topic; Female; France; Fruit; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Serratia; Serratia Infections; Species Specificity; Trees
PubMed: 9774577
DOI: 10.1128/JCM.36.11.3266-3272.1998 -
Microorganisms Mar 2015Bacteriocin-producing (Bac⁺) lactic acid bacteria (LAB) were isolated from a variety of food products and animal sources. Samples were enriched in de Man, Rogosa, and...
Bacteriocin-producing (Bac⁺) lactic acid bacteria (LAB) were isolated from a variety of food products and animal sources. Samples were enriched in de Man, Rogosa, and Sharpe (MRS) Lactocilli broth and plated onto MRS agar plates using a "sandwich overlay" technique. Inhibitory activity was detected by the "deferred antagonism" indicator overlay method using Listeria monocytogenes as the primary indicator organism. Antimicrobial activity against L. monocytogenes was detected by 41 isolates obtained from 23 of 170 food samples (14%) and 11 of 110 samples from animal sources (10%) tested. Isolated Bac⁺ LAB included Lactococcus lactis, Lactobacillus curvatus, Carnobacterium maltaromaticum, Leuconostoc mesenteroides, and Pediococcus acidilactici, as well as Enterococcus faecium, Enterococcus faecalis, Enterococcus hirae, and Enterococcus thailandicus. In addition to these, two Gram-negative bacteria were isolated (Serratia plymuthica, and Serratia ficaria) that demonstrated inhibitory activity against L. monocytogenes, Staphylococcus aureus, and Enterococcus faecalis (S. ficaria additionally showed activity against Salmonella Typhimurium). These data continue to demonstrate that despite more than a decade of antimicrobial interventions on meats and produce, a wide variety of food products still contain Bac⁺ microbiota that are likely eaten by consumers and may have application as natural food preservatives.
PubMed: 27682080
DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms3010080 -
Journal of Bacteriology Feb 1992Serratia marcescens W225 expresses an unconventional iron(III) transport system. Uptake of Fe3+ occurs in the absence of an iron(III)-solubilizing siderophore, of an...
Serratia marcescens W225 expresses an unconventional iron(III) transport system. Uptake of Fe3+ occurs in the absence of an iron(III)-solubilizing siderophore, of an outer membrane receptor protein, and of the TonB and ExbBD proteins involved in outer membrane transport. The three SfuABC proteins found to catalyze iron(III) transport exhibit the typical features of periplasmic binding-protein-dependent systems for transport across the cytoplasmic membrane. In support of these conclusions, the periplasmic SfuA protein bound iron chloride and iron citrate but not ferrichrome, as shown by protection experiments against degradation by added V8 protease. The cloned sfuABC genes conferred upon an Escherichia coli aroB mutant unable to synthesize its own enterochelin siderophore the ability to grow under iron-limiting conditions (in the presence of 0.2 mM 2.2'-dipyridyl). Under extreme iron deficiency (0.4 mM 2.2'-dipyridyl), however, the entry rate of iron across the outer membrane was no longer sufficient for growth. Citrate had to be added in order for iron(III) to be translocated as an iron citrate complex in a FecA- and TonB-dependent manner through the outer membrane and via SfuABC across the cytoplasmic membrane. FecA- and TonB-dependent iron transport across the outer membrane could be clearly correlated with a very low concentration of iron in the medium. Expression of the sfuABC genes in E. coli was controlled by the Fur iron repressor gene. S. marcescens W225 was able to synthesize enterochelin and take up iron(III) enterochelin. It contained an iron(III) aerobactin transport system but lacked aerobactin synthesis. This strain was able to utilize the hydroxamate siderophores ferrichrome, coprogen, ferrioxamine B, rhodotorulic acid, and schizokinen as sole iron sources and grew on iron citrate as well. In contrast to E. coli K-12, S. marcescens could utilize heme. DNA fragments of the E. coli fhuA, iut, exbB, and fur genes hybridized with chromosomal S. marcescens DNA fragments, whereas no hybridization was obtained between S. marcescens chromosomal DNA and E. coli fecA, fhuE, and tonB gene fragments. The presence of multiple iron transport systems was also indicated by the increased synthesis of at least five outer membrane proteins (in the molecular weight range of 72,000 to 87,000) after growth in low-iron media. Serratia liquefaciens and Serratia ficaria produced aerobactin, showing that this siderophore also occurs in the genus Serratia.
Topics: Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins; Bacterial Proteins; Biological Transport; Carrier Proteins; Electrophoresis; Ferric Compounds; Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial; Genes, Regulator; Hydroxamic Acids; Iron; Iron Chelating Agents; Kinetics; Periplasmic Binding Proteins; Serratia marcescens; Siderophores
PubMed: 1531225
DOI: 10.1128/jb.174.4.1378-1387.1992 -
Saudi Journal of Biological Sciences Mar 2020The application of liquid bacterial consortia to soil under natural conditions may fail due to various environmental constraints. In this study, the suitability and...
The application of liquid bacterial consortia to soil under natural conditions may fail due to various environmental constraints. In this study, the suitability and efficiency of compost, biogas slurry, crushed corn cob, and zeolite as carriers to support the survival of plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) and improve the performance of multi-strain bacterial consortia to mitigate the effects of salinity stress on wheat under pot conditions were evaluated. The survival of strains of , , and labelled with A was evaluated for up to 90 days. Seeds coated with different carrier-based formulations of multi-strain consortia were sown in pots at three different salinity levels (1.53, 10, and 15 dS m). Results showed that salinity stress significantly reduced wheat growth, yield, gas exchange, and ionic and biochemical parameter values, but the 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate (ACC) deaminase-containing multi-strain consortium used mitigated the inhibitory effects of salinity on plant growth and yield parameters. However, carrier-based inoculation further improved the efficacy of multi-strain consortium inoculation and significantly ( < 0.05) increased the growth, yield, and physiological parameters value of wheat at all salinity levels. On the basis of the observed trends in survival and the outcomes of the pot trials, the inoculation of multi-strain consortia in compost and biogas slurry carriers resulted in more successful wheat growth under salinity stress compared to that in the rest of the treatments tested.
PubMed: 32127752
DOI: 10.1016/j.sjbs.2019.12.034 -
Journal of Clinical Microbiology Jun 1984Serratia ficaria was isolated from sputum in a 62-year-old man and from tracheal aspiration fluid in a 62-year-old woman with acute respiratory distress. These strains...
Serratia ficaria was isolated from sputum in a 62-year-old man and from tracheal aspiration fluid in a 62-year-old woman with acute respiratory distress. These strains are the second and third isolations of S. ficaria from human sources. The case reports are presented, together with the laboratory findings and the biochemical activities of the isolates.
Topics: Anti-Bacterial Agents; Female; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Serotyping; Serratia; Sputum; Trachea
PubMed: 6470100
DOI: 10.1128/jcm.19.6.902-904.1984 -
Journal of Clinical Microbiology Aug 1981The first isolation of Serratia ficaria from a human source is reported. Investigation into the eating habits of the patient revealed the probable source as figs, which...
The first isolation of Serratia ficaria from a human source is reported. Investigation into the eating habits of the patient revealed the probable source as figs, which are one of the natural reservoirs of this organism. How this and other normally saprophytic Serratia species can be distinguished from Serratia marcescens is reviewed.
Topics: Female; Food Microbiology; Fruit; Humans; Middle Aged; Serratia; Sputum
PubMed: 7276152
DOI: 10.1128/jcm.14.2.234-236.1981