[Characterization and distribution of Citrobacter species in a university hospital].
OBJECTIVE
[corrected] a) To identify Citrobacter strains following the conventional biochemical reaction of Brenner and col; b) to evaluate the sensitivity and specificity of the O'Hara's method compared with Brenner's method, and c) to determine the rate and distribution of the strains in the clinical isolates.


METHODS
One hundred and twenty two clinical isolates, characterized as Citrobacter spp. were collected between May of 1994 and August of 1997. Clinical isolates included inpatients and outpatients from Hospital de Clínicas. Strains were identified following the methods of Brenner and O'Hara.


RESULTS
Methods of Brenner identified 111 of 122 strains: C. freundii 59 of 111; C. koseri 18 of 111; C. werkmanii 15 of 111; C. braakii 9 of 111; C. youngae 6 of 111 and C. amalonaticus 4 of 111. O'Hara's methods identified 104 of 111 strains (94%). C. freundii was recovered most frequently from urine and feces (p Fisher < 0.026 and 0.039 respectively), while C. koseri was isolated from urine principally (p Fisher < 0.0372).


CONCLUSIONS
The genus Citrobacter is an important opportunistic pathogen that can be identified in clinical microbiology laboratories using O'Hara's method.
Manganello
S
S
Cátedra de Análisis Clínicos I, Laboratorio de Bacteriología, Departamento de Bioquímica Clínica, Hospital de Clínicas, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Tayara
A
A
Perazzi
B
B
Neira
L
L
Famiglietti
A
A
Pugliese
L
L
Santini
P
P
Vay
C
C
D016470:Bacteremia / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D001431:Bacteriological Techniques; D050260:Carbohydrate Metabolism; D002954:Citrobacter / Q000145:classification / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000378:metabolism; D016971:Citrobacter freundii / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism; D002965:Classification / Q000379:methods; D017714:Community-Acquired Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology*; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology*; D004756:Enterobacteriaceae Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology*; D004798:Enzymes / Q000378:metabolism; D005243:Feces / Q000382:microbiology; D006785:Hospitals, University / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D009894:Opportunistic Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology; D013045:Species Specificity; D013530:Surgical Wound Infection / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology; D014552:Urinary Tract Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology
D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D004798:Enzymes