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Case Reports
. 2003 Feb;9(2):251-4.
doi: 10.3201/eid0902.020222.

Photorhabdus species: bioluminescent bacteria as emerging human pathogens?

John G Gerrard  1 , Samantha McNevin, David Alfredson, Ross Forgan-Smith, Neil Fraser
Affiliations
Case Reports

Photorhabdus species: bioluminescent bacteria as emerging human pathogens?

John G Gerrard et al. Emerg Infect Dis. 2003 Feb.

Abstract

We report two Australian patients with soft tissue infections due to Photorhabdus species. Recognized as important insect pathogens, Photorhabdus spp. are bioluminescent gram-negative bacilli. Bacteria belonging to the genus are emerging as a cause of both localized soft tissue and disseminated infections in humans in the United States and Australia. The source of infection in humans remains unknown.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Photorhabdus isolate from patient 2, growing on tryptic soy agar containing 5% sheep blood, after 48 hours’ incubation at 35°C. Arrows indicate “swarming.” The colonies could be seen to glow faintly with the naked eye under conditions of total darkness after 10 minutes of adjustment.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Photorhabdus isolate from patient 2 after 5 days growth at room temperature on sheep blood agar. Arrows indicate the characteristic thin line of “annular” hemolysis surrounding the colonies.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Australian and American clinical isolates of Photorhabdus.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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