Mima Polymorpha Research Articles

THE HUMAN SKIN AS A SOURCE OF MIMA-HERELLEA INFECTIONS.

BACTERIA of the Mima-Herellea group were not recognized as distinct and remained undescribed until 1942, when De Bord 1 suggested the name Mimeae for a new tribe of gram-negative, nonmotile organisms which resembled Neisseria morphologically, but differed in biochemical characteristics. He named the two new organisms Mima polymorpha and Herellea vaginicola. During subsequent years, other authors reported similar organisms but gave them different names so that the situation became extremely confusing. Synonyms for bacteria in this group include B5W, 2 Bacterium anitratum , 3 Moraxella glucidolytica , 4 Achromobacter lwoffi , 5 and Acinetobacter anitratum . 6 Reviews of the literature are given by Rosebury in 1962 7 and Daly et al in 1962. 8 Presumably due to the uncertain taxonomic position of these bacteria, they were not included in the seventh edition of Bergey's Manual of Determinative Bacteriology . This, combined with the confusing variety of synonyms, resulted in failure to identify this group

Infection of man with Mimeae.

Excerpt Gram-negative bacteria, variously calledHerellea, Mima polymorpha, Bacterium anitratum, Moraxella, B5W, Diplococcus mucosus, andNeisseria Winogradskyi, have been reported frequently as caus...

Mima polymorpha infection

Two cases of human infection by Mima polymorpha are described. From these cases, and from the literature, it is concluded that this species is heterogeneous with respect to its biochemical properties. From comparative studies it is concluded that the genus Mima is unrelated to the genus Moraxella or to Bacterium anitratum.

Mimeae. The standing in nomenclature of the names of this tribus and of its genera and species

SUMMARY The generic name Colloides is illegitimate because the organisms belong to known taxa within the Enterobacteriaceae. The name Herellea is a nomen dubium and therefore illegitimate, and the name Mima polymorpha var. oxydans is a later synonym. An Opinion of the Judicial Commission is requested on the question of whether the specific epithet lwoffi Audureau 1940 should be conserved against the epithet polymorpha DeBord 1939. If this is decided the tribe Mimeae ceases to exist.

The clinical spectrum of bacterial meningitis

E PIDEMIC meningitis with a rash of “purple spots” was clearly described by Vieusseux following an outbreak in Geneva in 1805 [7]. In the era before diagnostic bacteriology, meningitis was known to be an occasional complication of pneumonia and tuberculosis. In 1886 Frankel as well as Foa and Bondoni-Uffreduzzi demonstrated the pneumococcus in human spinal fluid. The following year Weichselbaum noted gram-negative diplococci in six cases of acute meningitis. Hemophilus influenza meningitis was described by Slawyk in 1899 [Z]. During the ensuing thirty years many of the less common etiologic agents were isolated, including the staphylococcus and a number of coliform organisms. More recently Mima polymorpha [3-51 and Listeria monocytogenes [6,7] have received attention as occasional causes of bacterial meningitis. logic diagnosis was established by culture of the cerebrospinal fluid. (Table I.) In eight cases the causative organism grew in blood cultures and was seen in the gram stain of the cerebrospinal fluid sediment. In six cases the diagnosis of meningococcal meningitis was made in patients with a purpuric rash and sterile cerebrospinal fluid containing typical gram-negative diplococci. In twenty-two cases the etiologic agent was unknown. In twelve of these, definite organisms were seen in the sediment of the cerebrospinal fluid. In two additional cases the diagnosis of purulent meningitis was confirmed at autopsy. The remaining patients recovered promptly from a clinically typical illness; in each instance the sugar in the cerebrospinal fluid was less than

<italic>Mima Polymorpha</italic>—Causative Agent in Acute and Chronic Meningitis

A NEW TRIBE of organisms, the Mimeae, was proposed by DeBord 1 in 1939; this tribe, composed of short, gram-negative rods or diplococci, nonmotile, nonspore-forming, and growing well on simple media, is noted especially for its ability to mimic neisseriae. Mima polymorpha , the only species of the genus, shows no fermentation of sugars, but some strains are oxidase positive. The clinical importance of this organism has become increasingly apparent in recent years. It has been incriminated in a variety of conditions including fulminating septicemia, 2 subacute bacterial endocarditis, 3,4 dermatitis, 5 urethritis and other urinary tract infections, 6,7 infection of brain substance secondary to head trauma, 8 and meningitis. Inadequate differentiation from Neisseria is possibly a basis for current reports of penicillin-resistant gonorrhea diagnosed by smears.9,10 Since the appearance in 1948 of the first reported case of meningitis caused by this organism, 11 6 other cases have been reported in

Serological relationship of Mimeae, Moraxella, Diplococcus mucosus and Neisseria winogradskyi

SUMMARY For the proper classification of the Mimeae, Moraxella, Diplococcus mucosus and Neisseria winogradskyi, the serological relationship should be considered. In a serological comparison using strains of Moraxella, N. winogradskyi and D. mucosus against polyvalent Mima polymorpha antiserum, adsorbed polyvalent Herellea antiserum and Bacterium anitratum serotypes 1–10, it was found that one of the five D. mucosus strains was serologically the same as B. anitratum, type 7 The other four strains of D. mucosus and N. winogradskyi were agglutinated by adsorbed polyvalent Herellea antiserum and share partial antigens with certain serotypes of B. anitratum. Henriksen (1952) suggested further study was necessary before Mima polymorpha var. oxidans could be included in the genus Moraxella. In the present study, 57% of the Moraxella strains studied were agglutinated by polyvalent M. polymorpha antiserum and M. polymorpha var. oxidans (pool of 3 sera). The strain of Bacterium lwoffi var. brevis included was agglutinaed only by Moraxella lacunata antiserum.

Severe infections in children due to rare gram-negative bacilli (Mima polymorpha and Bacillus anitratum)

Summary Seven cases of severe infections (septicemia and meningitis) caused by organisms belonging to the tribe Mimeae are described. The offending species were M. polymorpha and B. anitratum . The ages of the patients varied from 4 days to 2 years. Three of the patients died. One patient with septicemia due to B. anitratum had multiple foci of osteomyelitis. The bacteriologic and clinical aspects of these infections are discussed. Emphasis is placed upon the possibility of confusing infections with members of the tribe Mimeae with those caused by the gonococcus or the meningococcus.

Validity of reports of penicillin-resistant gonococci.

A number of microorganisms can be confused easily with Neisseria gonorrhoeae, particularly the tribe Mimeae which was recognized and named in 1939. Mima polymorpha can cause not only urethritis but also fatal septicemia. Some species of Mimeae are resistant to penicillin. The evidence presented here shows that past reports of penicillin-resistant gonorrhea cannot be accepted because so many penicillin-resistant organisms isolated from the genitourinary tract can mimic the gonococcus. Studies of penicillin-resistant urethritis must include more thorough procedures for identifying the organisms involved. The authors still consider penicillin in adequate dosage as the proper treatment for urethritis caused by Neisseria gonorrhoeae.

Mima Polymorpha Meningitis

The micro-organism Mima polymorpha was first isolated in 1939 by DeBord 1 from the urethral discharge of patients being studied for resistant gonorrhea. This Gramnegative rod, with a marked tendency to pleomorphism, was aptly named by him because of its ability to mimic other Gramnegative bacteria, particularly those of the Neisseria genus. M. polymorpha remained primarily the interest of the bacteriologist until 1948, at which time DeBord 2 reported a case of meningitis in which this microorganism was identified in the cerebrospinal fluid. Since then there have been five reported cases of meningitis due to M. polymorpha, 3-6 but only one of these occurred in a patient of the pediatric age group. 3 The purpose of this case report is to call the attention of those caring for children to this micro-organism as an etiologic agent in meningitis, emphasizing its ability to mimic other infections and the variability of findings

Meningitis due to Mima polymorpha.

Although meningococcal meningitis is not usually difficult to diagnose, a similar clinical and pathological picture may sometimes be produced by organisms other than Neisseria meningitidis.4This point was demonstrated to us recently by a patient with meningitis due to Mima polymorpha. M. polymorpha is a species of the tribe Mimeae, which was named by De Bord,1in 1939, because this unusual group of Gramnegative bacilli closely mimicked neisseriae. Later, De Bord noted the presence of M. polymorpha in both normal and inflamed vaginae.2,3In 1945, Deacon5recovered this bacillus from war wounds, a chancroid lesion, brain tissue after head injury, and cases of resistant gonorrhea in the male. Thereafter, De Bord,6and subsequently Townsend et al.7described patients with M. polymorpha meningitis. A closely related organism was cultured from the meninges at autopsy in Schuldberg's case.4Subacute bacterial endocarditis,8septicemia,9and urinary tract infections 10 have also been caused

Mima polymorpha meningitis; report of a case and review of the literature.

IN 1939 De Bord1 reported the isolation of a gramnegative pleomorphic organism from patients with urethral discharge, as well as from healthy persons, to which the name Mima polymorpha was given because of its variable morphologic characteristics and its mimicry of other gram-negative organisms, particularly neisserieae. De Bord emphasized the difficulties of making a positive diagnosis of gonorrhea on the basis of urethral smears alone. Since this original description the organism has been classified by cultural and fermentation characteristics as one of three genera within the tribe mimeae. Members of this tribe are M. polymorpha, Herrellea vaginicola (after d'Herelle) and . . .

Skin disease due to Mima polymorpha; report of two cases.

Recognition of the bacterium Mima polymorpha as a distinct organism is relatively recent. 1-3 It is a member of the family Parvobacteriaceae. The form varies from pleomorphic motile or nonmotile nonsporulating encapsulated Gram-negative rods 0.5-0.7×1.0-3.0μ and filaments which predominate in liquid media to diplococci which may be identical morphologically with Neisseria gonorrhoeae. The latter are more abundant on solid (chocolate agar) media. The bacteria may show modified bipolar staining and sometimes retain Grampositiveness. The organism, originally isolated in cases of vaginitis and conjunctivitis, 4 has been reported as the etiological agent in cases of septicemia, 5 subacute bacterial endocarditis, 6 meningitis 7-8 and Waterhouse-Friderichsen syndrome. 9 Two cases of skin disease have occurred within the past few months in which Mima polymorpha was the only organism isolated. Since the lesions have a rather distinct and apparently characteristic appearance, it is worth while to call attenion to

Slide agglutination technique for the rapid differentiation of Mima polymorpha and Herellea from the Neisseriae.

Slide agglutination technique for the rapid differentiation of Mima polymorpha and Herellea from the Neisseriae.

Moraxella: classification and taxonomy.

Eleven strains regarded as moraxellas were studied; nine were characterized by moderate growth on the usual media, a positive oxidase reaction and sensitivity to penicillin, and six of these preferred or required a humid atmosphere when incubated at 37°. The classification of these strains was considered correct. Two strains did not show any of these characteristics, and it was concluded that they should not properly be classified as moraxellas. A positive oxidase reaction, sensitivity to penicillin, and preference for a humid atmosphere at 37° may be useful criteria in the classification of Moraxella. It is suggested that Moraxella may be closely related to Neisseria, and that the description of the genus and its taxonomic position should be revised in accordance with Lwoff's proposals. Mima polymorpha var. oxidans (De Bord) is believed to belong to Moraxella, whereas other members of the tribe Mimeae (De Bord) and Bacterium anitratum (Schaub & Hauber) are probably not closely related to Moraxella.

Isolation of Mima polymorpha from a patient with subacute bacterial endocarditis.

Isolation of Mima polymorpha from a patient with subacute bacterial endocarditis.

Fulminating septicemia caused by Mima polymorpha; report of case.

Fulminating septicemia caused by Mima polymorpha; report of case.