Enterobacter aerogenes

Basic description of microbe:

• Straight rods

• Motile

• Facultatively anaerobic

• 0.6-1.0 μm wide by 1.2-3.0 μm long

• Optimal temperature: 30-37 ˚C

What it looks like on the agar:

• Whole Colony                                      Round

• Margin                                                 Smooth           

• Elevation                                              Convex

• Color                                                   White

Biochemical tests: 

• Voges-Proskauer                                 positive

• Simmon Citrate                                    positive

• Methyl red                                           usually positive

• Lysine decarboxylase                           positive

• H₂S                                                     negative

• Catalase                                              positive

Interesting Facts:

• Widely distributed in nature, occurring in fresh water, soil, sewage plants, vegetables, and animal and human feces.

• Opportunistic pathogen, causing burn, wound, and urinary tract infections and occasionally septicemia and meningitis.