HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via CrossRef Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by JANDA, J. M. Articles by PROBERT, W. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by JANDA, J. M. Articles by PROBERT, W. Agricola Articles by JANDA, J. M. Articles by PROBERT, W.

Phenotypic and genotypic properties of the genus Hafnia

Microbial Diseases Laboratory, Division of Communicable Disease Control, California Department of Health Services, Berkeley, CA 94704-1011, USA

Corresponding author: Dr J. M. Janda (e-mail: jjanda{at}dhs.ca.gov).

Received 7 Dec. 2001; revised version accepted 4 March 2002.

Abstract

The present study characterised 73 Hafnia alvei isolates and five Escherichia isolates (originally identified as H. alvei) isolated from cases of diarrhoeal disease by the International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research Branch (ICDDRB) in Bangladesh. Based upon the hydrolysis of arbutin and aesculin and the fermentation of salicin and D-arabinose, four distinct biotypes could be recognised among the 73 H. alvei isolates tested; biotype 1 (D-(-)-arabinose-positive only) accounted for 75% of all isolates analysed. Hydrolysis of aglycone compounds such as arbutin, salicin and aesculin appeared to be associated with expression of ß-glucosidase activity. ICDDRB isolates, when compared with type or reference strains of H. alvei, were shown not to belong to the genus Hafnia based upon resistance to Hafnia-specific bacteriophage 1672, possession of the phoE gene, expression of glutamate decarboxylase activity and significant 16S rDNA sequence divergence (8%) from the type strain, ATCC 13337^T. True H. alvei strains, implicated in outbreaks of diarrhoeal disease in Canada, lacked the eaeA gene in contrast to ICDDRB isolates. Twenty-two H. alvei isolates were selected for further study. Based upon partial 16S rDNA sequencing, these 22 isolates fell into two genomic groups (genomospecies), identical to DNA groups previously established by DNA hybridisation studies. Markers such as motility, biotype, or enzymic or carbohydrate fermentation patterns did not correlate totally with DNA grouping, although malonate utilisation appeared to be the single best discriminatory phenotype. The results indicate that the genus Hafnia is heterogeneous and there do not appear to be any laboratory data available specifically linking these organisms to gastro-enteritis.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				J. M. Janda and S. L. Abbott The Genus Hafnia: from Soup to Nuts Clin. Microbiol. Rev., January 1, 2006; 19(1): 12 - 28. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. M. Janda, S. L. Abbott, S. Bystrom, and W. S. Probert Identification of Two Distinct Hybridization Groups in the Genus Hafnia by 16S rRNA Gene Sequencing and Phenotypic Methods J. Clin. Microbiol., July 1, 2005; 43(7): 3320 - 3323. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. L. Abbott, M. Waddington, D. Lindquist, J. Ware, W. Cheung, J. Ely, and J. M. Janda Description of Campylobacter curvus and C. curvus-Like Strains Associated with Sporadic Episodes of Bloody Gastroenteritis and Brainerd's Diarrhea J. Clin. Microbiol., February 1, 2005; 43(2): 585 - 588. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				K. E. Hyma, D. W. Lacher, A. M. Nelson, A. C. Bumbaugh, J. M. Janda, N. A. Strockbine, V. B. Young, and T. S. Whittam Evolutionary Genetics of a New Pathogenic Escherichia Species: Escherichia albertii and Related Shigella boydii Strains J. Bacteriol., January 15, 2005; 187(2): 619 - 628. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. L. Abbott, J. O'Connor, T. Robin, B. L. Zimmer, and J. M. Janda Biochemical Properties of a Newly Described Escherichia Species, Escherichia albertii J. Clin. Microbiol., October 1, 2003; 41(10): 4852 - 4854. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				G. Huys, M. Cnockaert, J. M. Janda, and J. Swings Escherichia albertii sp. nov., a diarrhoeagenic species isolated from stool specimens of Bangladeshi children Int J Syst Evol Microbiol, May 1, 2003; 53(3): 807 - 810. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]