Description of Kingella potus sp. nov., an Organism Isolated from a Wound Caused by an Animal Bite

Abstract

We report the isolation and characterization of a hitherto unknown gram-negative, rod-shaped Neisseria-like organism from an infected wound resulting from a bite from a kinkajou. Based on both phenotypic and phylogenetic evidence, it is proposed that the unknown organism be classified as a new species, Kingella potus sp. nov.Animal bites represent a significant source of wound infections in humans. Most commonly the animals involved are cats and dogs, and a variety of gram-negative bacteria from these wound infections have been described (1,3,17,19,20). In this article we report a novel, gram-negative-staining Neisseria-like organism isolated from a wound infection caused by the bite of a kinkajou, an arboreal mammal found in the rain forests of Central and South America. Based on the phenotypic characteristics of the novel organism and the results of comparative 16S rRNA gene sequencing, we describe a hitherto unknown Kingella species, Kingella potus sp. nov.A previously healthy 53-year-old female zookeeper was referred to hospital with an infected wound on her right forearm. Three days earlier she had sustained a bite to the area from a kinkajou (Potus flavus). She was allergic to penicillin but otherwise had no history of note. The wound was cleaned following the bite, and she had been prescribed oral erythromycin. At presentation, she complained of pain over the anterior aspect of the right wrist and palm. She was apyrexial, her C-reactive protein level was 66.5 mg/liter, and her white blood cell count was 10.6 ϫ 10 9 with 7.41 ϫ 10 9 neutrophils. There were three puncture wounds noted on the volar surface of the right wrist surrounded by a 5-by 5-cm area of erythema and swelling. Pus was exuding from the bite, and she had tenderness over the wound and carpal tunnel. Infection of the flexor tendons and deep spaces of the wrist was suspected and urgent exploration undertaken. At operation, the sinuses extending from the bite wounds were excised and extended. There was a collection of pus deep into the fascia, which was sampled for culture. The wound was debrided and washed out. The tendon of flexor carpi radialis was frayed, and the belly of flexor pollicis longus was traumatized. Exploration of the carpal tunnel revealed thickened synovium but no pus. The flexor tendon sheaths were explored and washed out. She was treated with clarithromycin, ciprofloxacin, and metronidazole for 14 days, by which time the wound had healed. Culture of the pus, debrided tissue, and a swab from a tendon sheath yielded an alphahemolytic streptococcus, mixed anaerobic bacteria, and heavy growth of a gram-negative, rod-shaped organism.The dominant gram-negative-staining isolate was recovered and grown on chocolatized Columbia blood agar base (Oxoid) supplemented with 5% horse blood. Plates were incubated at 37°C under an aerobic atmosphere with 5% added CO 2 . The strain, designated 3/SID/1128 T , has been deposited in the National Collection of Type Cultures and the Culture Collection of the University of Göteborg under accession...

A Guide to Utilization of the Microbiology Laboratory for Diagnosis of Infectious Diseases: 2018 Update by the Infectious Diseases Society of America and the American Society for Microbiologya

“…Animal bite wounds are often polymicrobial in nature and include a variety of anaerobes. Due to the complexity of the microbial flora in animals, examination of cultures for organisms other than those listed in Table 43 is of little benefit since these organisms are not included in most of the commercial identification systems (conventional and automated) databases [229][230][231][232][233][234][235][236][237][238]. Matrix-assisted laser desorption-ionization mass spectrometry has proven valuable in identifying organisms when conventional phenotypic systems have failed.…”

Kingella kingae: Carriage, Transmission, and Disease

“…The genus Kingella belongs to the Neisseriaceae family in the beta subclass of the Proteobacteria and comprises four recognized species: K. denitrificans, which has been implicated in cases of bacteremia, endocarditis, pleural empyema, pediatric vaginitis, chorioamnionitis, and granulomatous disease in AIDS patients (26)(27)(28)(29); K. oralis, which is a commensal dweller of the human buccal cavity and is associated with dental plaque and periodontitis (30,31); K. potus, a zoonotic organism recovered from an infected bite (32); and K. kingae. Although K. kingae's taxonomic place remained uncertain for many years (1,2), subsequent analysis of its biochemical profile and fatty acid composition (33)(34)(35)(36)(37)(38)(39) and genotypic studies (33,(40)(41)(42)(43)(44) have led to the conclusion that K. kingae constitutes a separate species, only distantly linked to other Neisseriaceae (44).…”

A Guide to Utilization of the Microbiology Laboratory for Diagnosis of Infectious Diseases: 2013 Recommendations by the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) and the American Society for Microbiology (ASM)a

“…Animal bite wounds are often polymicrobial in nature and include a variety of anaerobes. Due to the complexity of the microbial flora in animals, examination of cultures for organisms other than those listed in Table XII-3 is of little benefit since these organisms are not included in most of the commercial identification systems (conventional and automated) data bases [3,[197][198][199][200][201][202][203][204][205][206].…”