What is the Difference Between Proteus Mirabilis and Vulgaris | Compare the Difference Between Similar Terms (2024)

The key difference between Proteus mirabilis and vulgaris is that Proteus mirabilis frequently causes urinary tract infections, while Proteus vulgaris causes urinary tract infections less frequently.

Proteus mirabilis and vulgaris are two species belonging to the genus Proteus that cause urinary tract infections. Urinary tract infection (UTI) is an infection that occurs in any part of the urinary tract and can involve the kidneys, ureters, bladder, and urethra. Most of the infections occur in the lower urinary tract, such as in the bladder and urethra. Moreover, women are at greater risk of developing urinary tract infections than men.

CONTENTS

1.Overview and Key Difference
2.What is Proteus Mirabilis
3.What is isProteus Vulgaris
4.Similarities –Proteus Mirabilis and Vulgaris
5. Proteus Mirabilis vs Vulgarisin Tabular Form
6.Summary – Proteus Mirabilis vs Vulgaris

What is Proteus Mirabilis?

Proteus mirabilis is a Proteus species that frequently causes urinary tract infections. It is a gram-negative, facultative, anaerobic, rod-shaped bacterium. 90 % of Proteus infections in humans are caused by Proteus mirabilis. P. Mirabilis is widely distributed in soil and water. It can normally migrate across the surface of solid media or devices using specific cooperative group motility called swarming motility. Moreover, it is most frequently associated with urinary tract infections called complicated or catheter-associated urinary tract infections.

P. mirabilis can be easily diagnosed through an alkaline urine sample. In the laboratory, it can be diagnosed due to swarming motility and inability to metabolize lactose on a MacConkey agar plate. P. Mirabilis can also be identified by the very distinct fishy odour that it produces. This bacterium has the ability to produce high levels of urease. Urease hydrolyses urea to ammonia. This increases alkalinity and can lead to the formation of crystals of struvite, calcium carbonate, or apatite. Ultimately, these sequences of events result in kidney stones. Furthermore, P. Mirabilis is generally susceptible to antibiotics such as tetracycline and nitrofurantoin.

What is Proteus Vulgaris?

Proteus vulgaris is a rod-shaped, gram-negative bacterium that belongs to the genus Proteus. It is also a nitrate-reducing, indole-positive, catalyse-positive, hydrogen sulphide-producing bacterium. This bacterium normally inhabits the intestinal tracts of humans and animals. P.vulgaris can be found in soil, water, and fecal matter. Moreover, P.vulgaris is an opportunistic pathogen of humans. Generally, it is known to cause wound infections. But sometimes, it can also cause urinary tract infections.

P.vulgaris is one of the three species that Hauser isolated from putrefied meat in 1885. According to the Becton/Dickinson BBL Enterotube II laboratory identification system P. vulgaris may give the following results: positive for glucose fermentation, positive methyl red, negative for lysine and ornithine, positive for H₂S production and indole production, negative for lactose, arabinose, adonitol, sorbitol and dulcitol, positive for phenylalanine test and positive for Harnstoff urea test. Furthermore, the treatments for P.vulgaris infections include antibiotics such as ciprofloxacin, ceftazidime, netilmicin, cefoperazone, meropenem, piperacillin, and ampicillin.

What are the Similarities Between Proteus Mirabilis and Vulgaris?

• Proteus mirabilis and vulgaris are two bacterial species that belong to the genus Proteus.
• Both bacteria are rod-shaped and gram-negative.
• They can cause urinary tract infections.
• Both bacteria are catalase positive.
• They do not ferment lactose.
• Both bacteria show swarming motility.
• Their infections in humans are treated through specific antibiotics.

What is the Difference Between Proteus Mirabilis and Vulgaris?

Proteus mirabilis is a Proteus species that frequently causes urinary tract infections, while Proteus vulgaris is a Proteus species that causes urinary tract infections less frequently. This is the key difference between Proteus mirabilis and vulgaris. Furthermore, Proteus mirabilis is negative for the indole test, while Proteus vulgaris is positive for indole test.

The below infographic presents the differences between Proteus mirabilis and vulgaris in tabular form for side-by-side comparison.

Summary –Proteus Mirabilis vs Vulgaris

Proteus mirabilis and P. vulgaris are two bacterial species belonging to the genus Proteus. Both bacteria are rod-shaped and gram-negative. They can be commonly identified in soil and water. Proteus mirabilis is a Proteus species that causes 90% of the urinary tract infections in humans, while Proteus vulgaris is a less frequent Proteus species that causes 9 % of the urinary tract infections in humans. So, this summarizes the difference between Proteus mirabilis and vulgaris.

Reference:

1. “Proteus Vulgaris.” An Overview | ScienceDirect Topics.
2. Schaffer, Jessica N, and Melanie M Pearson. “Proteus Mirabilis and Urinary Tract Infections.” Microbiology Spectrum, U.S. National Library of Medicine, Oct. 2015.

Image Courtesy:

1. “Proteus mirabilis”By Dr. Sahay – Own work (CC BY-SA 3.0) via Commons Wikimedia
2. “Proteus swarming on blood agar”By Microrao – Own work (CC BY-SA 4.0) via Commons Wikimedia