A genus of motile bacteria (family Enterobacteriaceae) containing Gram-negative rods which use citrate as a source of carbon; the motile cells are peritrichous. Fermentation of lactose by these organisms is delayed or absent; they produce trimethylene glycol from glycerol. The type species is C. freundii.
- C. amalonatica a bacterial species found in feces, soil, water, and sewage; isolated from clinical specimens as an opportunistic pathogen. SYN: Levinea amalonatica.
- C. diversus a bacterial species found in feces, soil, water, sewage, and food; isolated from urine, throat, nose, sputum, and wounds; reported in cases of neonatal meningitis where it frequently is severe, resulting in brain abscess formation. SYN: C. koseri, Levinea diversus, Levinea malonatica.
- C. freundii a bacterial species found in water, feces, and urine; it is an inhabitant of the normal intestine, but it may occur in alimentary infections and in infections of the urinary tract, gallbladder, middle ear, and meninges; it is the type species of the genus C..
- C. koseri SYN: C. diversus.
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n.
a genus of Gram-negative anaerobic rod-shaped bacteria widely distributed in nature. The organisms cause infections of the intestinal and urinary tracts, gall bladder, and the meninges that are usually secondary, occurring in the elderly, newborn, debilitated, and immunocompromised.
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Cit·ro·bac·ter (sitґro-bak″tər) [L. citrus lemon + Gr. baktron a rod] a genus of gram-negative, facultatively anaerobic, rod-shaped bacteria of the family Enterobacteriaceae, consisting of motile organisms that are able to use citrate as a sole carbon source. The organisms occur in water, food, feces, and urine. They have been associated with diarrhea and secondary infections in debilitated persons, occasionally causing severe primary septicemia. The type species is C. freunґdii.Medical dictionary. 2011.