Deck 23: Chryseobacterium, Sphingobacterium, and Similar Organisms

Question 1

Neonates and individuals who are immunocompromised are at risk for developing meningitis if they contract which organism?

A) Elizabethkingia meningoseptica
B) Myroides odoratum
C) Sphingobacterium spp.
D) Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) group EO-3

Answer 1

A
This life-threatening infection, which may be accompanied by bacteremia, originally gained attention because it occurred in neonates.However, E.meningoseptica meningitis can also occur in adults who are immunocompromised.The organism has been implicated in hospital-based outbreaks of both meningitis and pneumonia.

Question 2

Which organism is indole- and gelatin-positive but does not have the ability to oxidize mannitol?

A) Sphingobacterium multivorum
B) CDC group O-1
C) Empedobacter brevis
D) Elizabethkingia meningoseptica

Answer 2

C
Although both E.brevis and E.meningoseptica are positive for indole and gelatin, E.brevis cannot oxidize mannitol, whereas E.meningoseptica can.

Question 3

A patient with a bacteremia identified as Elizabethkingia meningoseptica infection was placed on intravenous penicillin; however, the patient did not improve after 5 days.Which one of the following statements explains these findings?

A) The dose was abbreviated and therefore did not have time to work.
B) The patient is most likely allergic to penicillin and is not responding.
C) Penicillin is ineffective against this organism.
D) An aminoglycoside should be given along with the penicillin to increase its effects.

Answer 3

C
The species considered in this chapter are frequently resistant to beta-lactams, including penicillins, cephalosporins and carbapenems, and aminoglycosides commonly used to treat infections caused by other gram-negative bacilli; therefore penicillin would be ineffective against this organism.

Question 4

Quality control was performed to determine the validity of urea agar.Sphingobacterium multivorum and Elizabethkingia meningoseptica were used, which yielded positive for S.multivorum and negative for E.meningoseptica.Which one of the following statements explains this discrepancy?

A) The urea agar is most likely expired.
B) The pH is off on the urea agar.
C) These two organisms are poor choices for quality control because they are both urea-positive.
D) No discrepancy is present; the results are valid.

Question 5

Which two organisms should be used for quality control purposes to determine the validity of the indole reagent?

A) Elizabethkingia meningoseptica and Empedobacter brevis
B) Chryseobacterium spp. and Elizabethkingia meningoseptica
C) Elizabethkingia meningoseptica and Sphingobacterium multivorum
D) Agrobacterium group and Sphingobacterium spiritivorum

Question 6

Which organism's virulence is due to protease and gelatinase production, which causes the destruction of host cells and tissues?

A) Bergeyella zoohelcum
B) Elizabethkingia meningoseptica
C) Chryseobacterium indologenes
D) Agrobacterium spp.

Question 7

A patient receiving hemodialysis began spiking a fever shortly after his treatment.Blood cultures were drawn and grew out the following gram negative rods that were indole positive with variable results for urea, nitrate reduction and gelatin.The organism is most likely:

A) Elizabethkingia meningoseptica.
B) Empedobacter brevis.
C) CDC group O-1.
D) Chryseobacterium spp.

Question 8

The natural habitat of Chryseobacterium sp.can best be described as the:

A) mucous membranes of animals.
B) gastrointestinal tract of humans and other animals.
C) natural environment.
D) genitourinary tract of animals.

Question 9

The natural habitat of the bacterium Sphingobacterium is:

A) environment.
B) animal oral and respiratory flora.
C) environment, cold climates.
D) human normal flora.

Question 10

On Gram stain, which organism appears thin in the center and thicker at the ends?

A) Agrobacterium yellow group
B) CDC groups EO-3 and EO-4
C) Elizabethkingia meningoseptica
D) Empedobacter brevis