View source for Biology:Cronobacter

{{Short description|Genus of bacteria}}
{{Italic title}}
{{Automatic taxobox
| taxon = Cronobacter
| image = Enterobacter sakazakii.tif
| image_alt = Cronobacter sakazakii growing in a petri dish
| image_caption = ''Cronobacter sakazakii''
| authority = (Iversen ''et al.'' 2008)<ref name="Iversen 2008">{{cite journal |last1=Iversen |first1=C. |last2=Mullane |first2=N. |last3=McCardell |first3=B. |last4=Tall |first4=B. D. |last5=Lehner |first5=A. |last6=Fanning |first6=S. |last7=Stephan |first7=R. |last8=Joosten |first8=H. |title=''Cronobacter'' gen. nov., a new genus to accommodate the biogroups of ''Enterobacter sakazakii'', and proposal of ''Cronobacter sakazakii'' gen. nov. comb. nov., ''C. malonaticus'' sp. nov., ''C. turicensis'' sp. nov., ''C. muytjensii'' sp. nov., ''C. dublinensis'' sp. nov., ''Cronobacter'' genomospecies 1, and of three subspecies, ''C. dublinensis'' sp. nov. subsp. ''dublinensis'' subsp. nov., ''C. dublinensis'' sp. nov. subsp. ''lausannensis'' subsp. nov., and ''C. dublinensis'' sp. nov. subsp. ''lactaridi'' subsp. nov. |journal=[[Biology:International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology|International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology]] |year=2008 |volume=58 |issue=6 |pages=1442–1447 |doi=10.1099/ijs.0.65577-0 |pmid=18523192 }}</ref> (Joseph ''et al.'' 2011)<ref name="Joseph 2011">{{cite journal |last1=Joseph |first1=Susan |last2=Cetinkaya |first2=Esin |last3=Drahovska |first3=Hana |last4=Levican |first4=Arturo |last5=Figueras |first5=Maria J. |last6=Forsythe |first6=Stephen J. |title=''Cronobacter condimenti'' sp. nov., isolated from spiced meat and ''Cronobacter universalis'' sp. nov., a novel species designation for ''Cronobacter'' sp. genomospecies 1, recovered from a leg infection, water, and food ingredients |journal=[[Biology:International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology|International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology]] |year=2012 |volume= 62|issue=Pt 6 |pages=1277–1283 |doi=10.1099/ijs.0.032292-0 |pmid=22661070 |doi-access=free }}</ref>
| subdivision_ranks = Species
| subdivision =
''[[Biology:Cronobacter sakazakii|C. sakazakii]]''<br>
''[[Biology:Cronobacter malonaticus|C. malonaticus]]''<br>
''[[Biology:Cronobacter turicensis|C. turicensis]]''<br>
''[[Biology:Cronobacter muytjensii|C. muytjensii]]''<br>
''[[Biology:Cronobacter dublinensis|C. dublinensis]]''<br>
''C. universalis''<br>
''C. condimenti''
}}

'''''Cronobacter''''' is a genus of Gram-negative, [[Biology:Facultative anaerobic organism|facultatively anaerobic]], [[Biology:Oxidase|oxidase]]-negative, [[Biology:Catalase|catalase]]-positive, [[Biology:Bacillus|rod-shaped]] [[Biology:Bacteria|bacteria]] of the family [[Biology:Enterobacteriaceae|Enterobacteriaceae]]. 
Several ''Cronobacter'' species are desiccation resistant and persistent in dry  products such as powdered infant formula.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Osaili |first1=T. |last2=Forsythe |first2=S. |title=Desiccation resistance and persistence of Cronobacter species in infant formula |journal=International Journal of Food Microbiology |date=31 December 2009 |volume=136 |issue=2 |pages=214–220 |doi=10.1016/j.ijfoodmicro.2009.08.006 |pmid=19720413 |url=http://irep.ntu.ac.uk/id/eprint/3627/1/208345_8393%20Forsythe%20Postprint%20PID208345.pdf }}</ref>  They are generally motile, reduce [[Chemistry:Nitrate|nitrate]], use [[Chemistry:Citrate|citrate]], hydrolyze esculin and [[Chemistry:Arginine|arginine]], and are positive for L-[[Chemistry:Ornithine|ornithine]] [[Chemistry:Decarboxylation|decarboxylation]].  Acid is produced from D-[[Chemistry:Glucose|glucose]], D-[[Chemistry:Sucrose|sucrose]], D-[[Chemistry:Raffinose|raffinose]], D-[[Chemistry:Melibiose|melibiose]], D-[[Chemistry:Cellobiose|cellobiose]], D-[[Chemistry:Mannitol|mannitol]], D-[[Chemistry:Mannose|mannose]], L-[[Chemistry:Rhamnose|rhamnose]], L-[[Chemistry:Arabinose|arabinose]], D-[[Chemistry:Trehalose|trehalose]], galacturonate and D-[[Chemistry:Maltose|maltose]]. 
''Cronobacter'' spp. are also generally positive for [[Chemistry:Acetoin|acetoin]] production (Voges–Proskauer test) and negative for the [[Chemistry:Methyl red|methyl red]] test, indicating [[Chemistry:2,3-Butanediol|2,3-butanediol]] rather than mixed acid fermentation. 
The type species of the genus ''Cronobacter'' is ''Cronobacter sakazakii'' comb. nov.

==Clinical significance==
{{See|Infant food safety}}
All ''Cronobacter'' species, except ''C. condimenti'', have been linked retrospectively to clinical cases of infection. While cases of infection do occur in adults, these are generally non-life-threatening, and often secondary colonization to underlying health problems. Infection in infants is associated with neonatal bacteraemia, [[Medicine:Meningitis|meningitis]] and necrotising enterocolitis with a high case fatality rate and ongoing disablement of survivors.{{Citation needed|date=March 2022|reason=Need at least one study on the infection to back up these claims}}

Increased awareness that ''Cronobacter'' are ubiquitous environmental organisms, initiatives by the WHO and FAO, and advice on infant feeding (including safe temperatures for reconstitution of powdered infant formula, and appropriate hold times, post-reconstitution) has drastically reduced the occurrence of infection outbreaks. Additionally, the introduction of an ISO standard method for detection of these organisms has aided the infant formula industry to control their presence in manufacturing sites and products, further reducing the risk to infants. However, isolated cases can still occur, in part due to ''Cronobacter'' being ubiquitous in home environments as well.

==Taxonomy==
''Cronobacter'' was first proposed as a new genus in 2007 as a clarification of the taxonomic relationship of the biogroups found among strains of ''Enterobacter sakazakii''.<ref name="Iversen 2007">{{cite journal |last1=Iversen |first1=Carol |last2=Lehner |first2=Angelika |last3=Mullane |first3=Niall |last4=Bidlas |first4=Eva |last5=Cleenwerck |first5=Ilse |last6=Marugg |first6=John |last7=Fanning |first7=Séamus |last8=Stephan |first8=Roger |last9=Joosten |first9=Han |title=The taxonomy of ''Enterobacter sakazakii'': proposal of a new genus ''Cronobacter'' gen. nov. and descriptions of ''Cronobacter sakazakii'' comb. nov. ''Cronobacter sakazakii'' subsp. ''sakazakii'', comb. nov., ''Cronobacter sakazakii'' subsp. ''malonaticus'' subsp. nov., ''Cronobacter turicensis'' sp. nov., ''Cronobacter muytjensii'' sp. nov., ''Cronobacter dublinensis'' sp. nov. and ''Cronobacter'' genomospecies 1 |journal=BMC Evolutionary Biology |date=December 2007 |volume=7 |issue=1 |pages=64 |doi=10.1186/1471-2148-7-64 |pmid=17439656 |pmc=1868726 |doi-access=free }}</ref> This proposal was validly published in 2008 with five species and three subspecies named.<ref name="Iversen 2008"/> The genus definition was further revised in 2012 to seven named species when a name (''C. universalis'') was given to a group of isolates that were deemed too few in number to accurately describe during the original taxonomic work, and a single additional isolate was also named (''C. condimenti''). 
In 2013 ''Enterobacter helveticus'', ''Enterobacter pulveris'' and ''Enterobacter turicensis'' were reclassified into the genus ''Cronobacter'', however this was corrected in 2014 when Stephan ''et al.'' published evidence that these should be classified as ''Franconibacter helveticus'', ''Franconibacter pulveris'' and ''Siccibacter turicensis'' respectively.<ref name="Stefan 2014">{{cite journal |last1=Stephan |first1=Roger |last2=Grim |first2=Christopher J. |last3=Gopinath |first3=Gopal R. |last4=Mammel |first4=Mark K. |last5=Sathyamoorthy |first5=Venugopal |last6=Trach |first6=Larisa H. |last7=Chase |first7=Hannah R. |last8=Fanning |first8=Séamus |last9=Tall |first9=Ben D. |title=Re-examination of the taxonomic status of Enterobacter helveticus, Enterobacter pulveris and Enterobacter turicensis as members of the genus Cronobacter and their reclassification in the genera Franconibacter gen. nov. and Siccibacter gen. nov. as Franconibacter helveticus comb. nov., Franconibacter pulveris comb. nov. and Siccibacter turicensis comb. nov., respectively |journal=International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology |date=1 October 2014 |volume=64 |issue=Pt_10 |pages=3402–3410 |doi=10.1099/ijs.0.059832-0 |pmid=25028159 |pmc=4179279 }}</ref>

==Etymology==
''Cronobacter'' (Cro.no.bac'ter) is from the Greek noun ''[[Religion:Cronus|Cronos]]'' (Κρόνος), one of the Titans of mythology, who swallowed each of his children as soon as they were born, and the New Latin masculine noun [[Biology:-bacter|''bacter'']], a rod, resulting in the N.L. masc. n. Cronobacter, a rod that can cause illness in neonates.

''Cronobacter sakazakii'' (sak.a.zaki.ī. N.L. gen. n. sakazakii, of Sakazaki) is named in honour of the Japanese microbiologist Riichi Sakazaki (ja:坂崎利一).<ref name="Farmer">{{cite journal |last1=Farmer |first1=J. J. |last2=Asbury |first2=M. A. |last3=Hickman |first3=F. W. |last4=Brenner |first4=D. J. |title=''Enterobacter sakazakii'': A New Species of 'Enterobacteriaceae' Isolated from Clinical Specimens |journal=International Journal of Systematic Bacteriology |date=1 July 1980 |volume=30 |issue=3 |pages=569–584 |doi=10.1099/00207713-30-3-569 |doi-access=free }}</ref>

''Cronobacter malonaticus'' (mă.lō.nă.tĭ'cŭs) is from N.L. n. ''malonas'' ''-atis'', malonate; L. suff. ''-icus'', suffix used with the sense of belonging to; N.L. masc. adj. ''malonaticus'', pertaining to the use of [[Chemistry:Malonate|malonate]]. The type strain, CDC 1058-77T, was isolated from a breast abscess.<ref name="Farmer"/>

''Cronobacter turicensis'' (tŭ.rĭ.sĕn'sĭs) is from the L. masc. adj. ''turicensis'', pertaining to ''Turicum'', the Latin name of Zurich, Switzerland.<ref name="Iversen 2007"/>

''Cronobacter muytjensii'' (mœ.tjәn.sĭ.ī), from the N.L. gen. n. ''muytjensii'', of Muytjens, is named in honour of the Dutch microbiologist Harry Muytjens, who performed much of the early work on ''Enterobacter sakazakii''.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Muytjens |first1=H L |last2=van der Ros-van de Repe |first2=J |last3=van Druten |first3=H A |title=Enzymatic profiles of ''Enterobacter sakazakii'' and related species with special reference to the alpha-glucosidase reaction and reproducibility of the test system |journal=Journal of Clinical Microbiology |date=October 1984 |volume=20 |issue=4 |pages=684–686 |doi=10.1128/jcm.20.4.684-686.1984 |pmid=6386874 |pmc=271411 }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last1=Muytjens |first1=H L |last2=Zanen |first2=H C |last3=Sonderkamp |first3=H J |last4=Kollée |first4=L A |last5=Wachsmuth |first5=I K |last6=Farmer |first6=J J |title=Analysis of eight cases of neonatal meningitis and sepsis due to ''Enterobacter sakazakii'' |journal=Journal of Clinical Microbiology |date=July 1983 |volume=18 |issue=1 |pages=115–120 |doi=10.1128/jcm.18.1.115-120.1983 |pmid=6885983 |pmc=270753 }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last1=Muytjens |first1=H L |last2=van der Ros-van de Repe |first2=J |title=Comparative in vitro susceptibilities of eight Enterobacter species, with special reference to ''Enterobacter sakazakii'' |journal=Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy |date=February 1986 |volume=29 |issue=2 |pages=367–370 |doi=10.1128/AAC.29.2.367 |pmid=3636109 |pmc=176414 }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last1=Muytjens |first1=H L |last2=Roelofs-Willemse |first2=H |last3=Jaspar |first3=G H |title=Quality of powdered substitutes for breast milk with regard to members of the family Enterobacteriaceae |journal=Journal of Clinical Microbiology |date=April 1988 |volume=26 |issue=4 |pages=743–746 |doi=10.1128/jcm.26.4.743-746.1988 |pmid=3284901 |pmc=266435 }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last1=Muytjens |first1=Harry L. |last2=Kollée |first2=Louis A. A. |title=''Enterobacter sakazakii'' meningitis in neonates: Causative role of formula? |journal=The Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal |date=May 1990 |volume=9 |issue=5 |pages=372–373 |doi=10.1097/00006454-199005000-00016 |pmid=2352824 |doi-access=free }}</ref>

''Cronobacter dublinensis'' (dŭb.lĭn.ĕn'sĭs, from the N.L. masc. adj. ''dublinensis'', pertains to [[Place:Dublin|Dublin]], Ireland, the origin of the type strain.<ref name="Iversen 2007"/>

''C. dublinensis'' subsp. ''lausannensis'' (lô.săn.ĕn'sĭs) from the L. masc. adj. ''lausannensis'', pertains to [[Place:Lausanne|Lausanne]], Switzerland, the origin of the type strain for this subspecies.<ref name="Iversen 2007"/>
 
''C. dublinensis'' subsp. ''lactaridi '' (lăkt.ărĭd.ī), is from the L. n. lac ''lactis'', milk, L. adj. ''aridus'', dried, to give N.L. gen. n. ''lactaridi'', of a dried milk.<ref name="Iversen 2007"/>

''Cronobacter universalis'' (u.ni.ver.sa'lis) is L. masc. adj. ''universalis'', of or belonging to all or universal.<ref name="Joseph 2011"/>

''Cronobacter condimenti'' (con.di.men'ti) is from the L. gen. n. ''condimenti'', of spice or seasoning, as it was first isolated in part from spiced meat.<ref name="Joseph 2011"/>

==See also==
* List of bacterial genera named after mythological figures

==References==
{{Reflist}}{{Taxonbar|from=Q311419}}

[[Category:Enterobacteriaceae]]
[[Category:Bacteria genera]]

{{Sourceattribution|Cronobacter}}