Serratia
Serratia
Serratia (pronunciation: səˈreɪʃiə) is a genus of Gram-negative, rod-shaped bacteria in the family Enterobacteriaceae. Named after the Italian physicist Serafino Serrati, Serratia is known for its role in hospital-acquired infections.
Etymology
The genus Serratia was named in honor of the Italian physicist Serafino Serrati. The term is derived from the Latin serratus, meaning "serrated" or "saw-like", which is a reference to the jagged edges of the colonies of these bacteria.
Characteristics
Serratia species are found in the environment, including water, soil, and the human intestine. They are opportunistic pathogens, meaning they can cause disease in people with weakened immune systems. The most common species causing human disease is Serratia marcescens, which can cause urinary tract infections, wound infections, and pneumonia.
Related Terms
- Gram-negative: A term used to describe bacteria that do not retain the crystal violet stain used in the Gram staining method of bacterial differentiation.
- Rod-shaped: Describes the cylindrical shape of certain bacteria.
- Enterobacteriaceae: A large family of Gram-negative bacteria that includes many of the more familiar pathogens, such as Salmonella, Escherichia coli, Yersinia pestis, Klebsiella and others.
- Serafino Serrati: An Italian physicist after whom the genus Serratia was named.
- Serratia marcescens: A species of rod-shaped gram-negative bacteria in the family Enterobacteriaceae.
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Serratia
- Wikipedia's article - Serratia
This WikiMD dictionary article is a stub. You can help make it a full article.
Languages: - East Asian
中文,
日本,
한국어,
South Asian
हिन्दी,
Urdu,
বাংলা,
తెలుగు,
தமிழ்,
ಕನ್ನಡ,
Southeast Asian
Indonesian,
Vietnamese,
Thai,
မြန်မာဘာသာ,
European
español,
Deutsch,
français,
русский,
português do Brasil,
Italian,
polski