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Definition

noun

One of the clinically important species of the genus Providencia isolated chiefly from infections of the urinary system and diarrheal stools

Supplement

P. alcalifaciens is determined from other clinically important Providencia species such as P. stuartii and P. rettgeri through biochemical tests:

• urease test: negative
• phenylalanine deaminate test: positive
• gas from glucose fermentation: different strains give different results

Scientific classification:

• Phylum: Proteobacteria
• Class: Gamma Proteobacteria
• Order: Enterobacteriales
• Family: Enterobacteriaceae
• Genus: Providencia

Variant(s):

• P. alcalifaciens
• Providencia alcalifaciens Ewing 1962

Formerly called:

• Eberthella alcalifaciens de Salles Gomes 1944
• Eberthella alcalifaciens
• Proteus inconstans (Ornstein 1920) Shaw and Clarke 1955
• Bacillus inconstans Ornstein 1920
• Bacillus inconstans
• Providencia alcalifaciens (de Salles Gomes 1944) Ewing 1962

Compare (with other clinically important Providencia spp.):

• Providencia stuartii
• Providencia rettgeri

See:

• (Genus) Providencia

Reference(s):

• Cheesbrough M. 2006. Microbiological Tests. In: District laboratory practice in tropical countries. 2nd ed. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. p 189.
• Vasanthakumari R. 2007. Enterobacteriaceae. In: Textbook of Microbiology. New Delhi: BI Publications Pvt Ltd. p 266.