General information

• the following information is not yet verified
  Taxonomy
  Family: Enterobacteriaceae
  P. alcalifaciens
  - P. rustigianii (P. alcalifaciens biogroep 3)
  P. rettgeri
  P. stuartii
  
  apathogeen P. heimbachae, P. vermicola
  
  Natural habitats
  They are ubiquitous in the environment, especially water and clinical samples, such as; urine, feces, blood, wounds and throat. Also occur in animals, mammals, birds, reptiles and insects.
  
  Clinical significance
  Patients who develop Providencia urinary tract infections often have long-standing dependence on an indwelling urinary catheter.
  
  P. alcalifaciens, P. rustigianii, and P. heimbachae
  
  Infections with these Providencia species are most likely to elicit gastrointestinal symptoms.
  
  P. alcalifaciens infection is also associated with overseas travel.

Gram stain

• the following information is not yet verified
  Gram negative rods,
  
  0.6-0.8 x 1.5-2.5 µm,
  
  ranging in length from coccoid rods to long wire forms.

Culture characteristics

• the following information is not yet verified
  

  Facultative anaerobic
  
  Colonies are large, 4mm, gray white, opaque, shiny, smooth and convex.
  
  Brown pigmentation may occur in the center (P. rettgeri)
  
  McConkey growth, non lactose fermenter
  
  BBAØ growth

Characteristics

• Gram-negative
• bacilli
• growth both-aerobic-and-anaerobic
• catalase-positive
• oxidase-negative
• indole-positive
• urease-negative
• TSI no production of H2S
• vancomycin-resistant
• colistine-resistant
• motility-peritrichous flagella

References