Family Enterobacteriaceae
Proteus mirabilis major agent in human infection of urinary tract
Abundant production of urease
Urease splits urea (CO(NH2)2) into carbon dioxide (CO2) and ammonia (NH3)
- Ammonia raises the pH of urine and causes the formation of kidney stones (renal stones; renal calculus) which can be extremely painful
Wound infections, pneumonia, septicemia
Found in soil, water, sewage, decomposing matter and human intestinal tract
Hypermotile with cultures demonstrating a swarming phenomena on agar media
Hydrogen sulfide production
O, H, K antigens: grouping on basis of these antigens for epidemiologic studies have not been correlative
Share antigens with the intracellular pathogen Rickettsia
Treatment:
ampicillin and cephalosporins, but resistant strains can develop
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