Atypical biogroups of Escherichia coli found in clinical specimens and description of Escherichia hermannii sp. nov.

DNA relatedness was used to define the biochemical boundaries of Escherichia coli. A large number of biochemically atypical strains were shown to belong to biogroups of E. coli. These included strains negative in reactions for indole, all three decarboxylases, D-mannitol, lactose, or methyl red and strains positive in reactions for H2S, urea, citrate, KCN, adonitol, myo-inositol, or phenylalanine deaminase. Frequency and source data are presented for these atypical E. coli biogroups. One group of KCN-positive, cellobiose-positive, yellow-pigmented strains was 84 to 91% interrelated but only 35 to 45% related to E. coli. The name Escherichia hermannii sp. nov. is proposed for this group of organisms that was formerly called Enteric Group 11 by the Enteric Section, Centers for Disease Control, Atlanta, GA. Twenty-nine strains of E. hermannii have been isolated in the United States from a variety of clinical sources, principally wounds, sputum, and stools. Three additional strains were isolated from food. E. hermannii strains are gram-negative, oxidase-negative, fermentative, motile rods. In addition to yellow pigment and positive KCN and cellobiose tests, the biochemical reactions characteristic of 32 strains of E. hermannii were as follows: gas from D-glucose, acid from D-glucose, maltose, D-xylose, L-arabinose, L-rhamnose, and D-mannitol; no acid from adonitol or inositol; variable acid production from lactose and sucrose; positive tests for indole, methyl red, and mucate; negative tests for Voges-Proskauer. Simmons citrate, H2S, urea, phenylalanine deaminase, and gelatin hydrolysis; negative or delayed test for L-lysine decarboxylase and negative test for L-arginine dihydrolase; and positive test for ornithine decarboxylase. E. hermannii strains were resistant to penicillin, ampicillin, and carbenicillin and sensitive to other commonly used antibiotics. Wounds account for almost 50% of human isolates of E. hermannii, followed by sputum or lung isolates (ca. 25%) and stool isolates (20%).