KIA and Yersinia Characteristics

A set of flashcards to help review KIA results and characteristics of Yersinia organisms.

KIA red/red (K/K)

No fermentation (non-fermenter)

Organisms that exhibit KIA red/red (K/K)

Pseudomonas, Moraxella, Campylobacter, Eikenella

Why are Enterobacteriaceae NOT KIA red/red?

They ALL ferment glucose.

KIA red slant / yellow butt (K/A) indicates?

Glucose fermented ONLY (no lactose).

Organisms that are K/A with no H2S

Shigella, Serratia, Providencia, Yersinia

KIA K/A + black butt means?

Glucose fermented + H2S produced.

Organisms that are K/A + H2S

Salmonella, Proteus

KIA yellow/yellow (A/A) indicates?

Lactose fermented.

Organism characterized as A/A

E. coli

A/A with gas indicates?

Lactose fermentation + gas production.

Organisms A/A + gas

Klebsiella, Enterobacter

General traits of Yersinia

Gram-negative rod, non-lactose fermenter, cold-loving.

Optimal temperature for Yersinia growth

Room temperature (cold enrichment).

Yersinia pestis causes?

Plague.

Three forms of plague caused by Y. pestis

Bubonic, pneumonic, septicemic.

Morphology clue for Y. pestis

Bipolar staining (safety pin appearance).

Y. pestis identified by gram stain

Gram-negative rod.

Growth clue for Y. pestis

Small colonies at 37°C, larger at room temperature.

Y. pestis biosafety level

BSL-3 pathogen.

Transmission type for Y. pestis

Zoonotic (humans = accidental host).

Key memory for Y. pestis

Plague + safety pin appearance.

Y. enterocolitica causes?

Enteritis (diarrhea).

Clinical mimic for Y. enterocolitica

Appendicitis.

Y. enterocolitica grows on what agar?

CIN agar.

CIN agar colony appearance

Red bull’s-eye colonies.

Urease test result for Y. enterocolitica

Positive.

Ornithine test result for Y. enterocolitica

Positive.

Sugar fermentation characteristic for Y. enterocolitica

Sucrose fermenter.

Y. enterocolitica TSI/KIA result

A/A (yellow/yellow).

Y. pseudotuberculosis primarily causes?

Animal infections (rare in humans).

Y. pseudotuberculosis affects which body part?

Lymph nodes.

Y. pseudotuberculosis TSI/KIA result

K/A (red/yellow).

Urease test result for Y. pseudotuberculosis

Positive.

Ornithine test result for Y. pseudotuberculosis

Negative.

Sucrose fermentation characteristic for Y. pseudotuberculosis

No sucrose fermentation.

Characteristic: Cold growth + red bull's-eye colony indicates?

Yersinia enterocolitica.

Identify: Safety pin gram-negative rod

Yersinia pestis.

Characteristic: Non-lactose + K/A + no H2S + appendicitis mimic indicates?

Yersinia enterocolitica.

Black butt on KIA indicates?

H2S production.

A/A KIA indicates?

Lactose fermentation.