- Source: Laribacter hongkongensis
Laribacter hongkongensis is a species of bacteria. It is facultatively anaerobic, non-sporulating, gram-negative, seagull- or spiral rod-shaped. It is a potential human pathogen. Laribacter hongkongensis has been isolated from human cases of diarrhea, but its role in causing diarrhea is unproven, even though it has been hypothesized. Additional studies are needed to better define its role as a possible enteric pathogen. These should include: case control studies designed to differentiate infection from colonization-transient passage, fulfilling Koch's postulates and Bradford-Hill's criteria on association vs. causation, possible virulence factors, animal models, host factors, antibody responses based on serodiagnostic testing, and human volunteer studies. The lessons learned from trying to establish the etiological role of the bacteria genera Aeromonas, Plesiomonas, and Edwardsiella in human diarrhea seem especially applicable for Laribacter. All four genera are isolated from extraintestinal infections, are apparently found in the aquatic environment, and epidemiological associations include eating fish and foreign travel. Even after over 50 years’ experience with the former three genera their etiological role in an individual case of human diarrhea is difficult to determine without extensive studies. For all four of these genera the critical issue will be differentiating infection from colonization or transient passage in the intestine.
References
Further reading
Woo PC, Lau SK, Tse H, et al. (March 2009). "The complete genome and proteome of Laribacter hongkongensis reveal potential mechanisms for adaptations to different temperatures and habitats". PLOS Genetics. 5 (3): e1000416. doi:10.1371/journal.pgen.1000416. PMC 2652115. PMID 19283063.
Ni, X.-P.; Ren, S.-H.; Sun, J.-R.; Xiang, H.-Q.; Gao, Y.; Kong, Q.-X.; Cha, J.; Pan, J.-C.; Yu, H.; Li, H.-M. (2006). "Laribacter hongkongensis Isolated from a Patient with Community-Acquired Gastroenteritis in Hangzhou City". Journal of Clinical Microbiology. 45 (1): 255–256. doi:10.1128/JCM.01400-06. ISSN 0095-1137. PMC 1828964. PMID 17021061.
Lau, Susanna KP; Fan, Rachel YY; Wong, Gilman KM; Teng, Jade LL; Sze, Kong-Hung; Tse, Herman; Yuen, Kwok-Yung; Woo, Patrick CY (2011). "Transport genes and chemotaxis in Laribacter hongkongensis: a genome-wide analysis". Cell & Bioscience. 1 (1): 28. doi:10.1186/2045-3701-1-28. ISSN 2045-3701. PMC 3180692. PMID 21849034.
External links
"Laribacter hongkongensis". The Encyclopedia of Life.
LPSN
Type strain of Laribacter hongkongensis at BacDive - the Bacterial Diversity Metadatabase
