Serratia ficaria

An aerobic gram-negative bacillus that grows readily on most microbiological media producing a white colony. It is capable of growth between 4oC and 37oC. It produces a musty-potato-like odor (2-methoxy-3-isopropyl-pyrazine). It can be isolated from figs, fig wasps, and plants. It has been shown to be an opportunistic human pathogen causing respiratory infections and subcutaneous abscesses in immunocompromised patients. Figs were suspected as the source, but there is no evidence that eating figs has any health hazards. It is very rarely isolated from clinical specimens and there is no strong evidence that it is clinical significant.

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