Erwinia and yellow-pigmentedEnterobacter isolates from human sources

Sixty-five strains of gram-negative, yellow-pigmented bacilli, including four chromogenicEnterobacter strains and 55 anaerogenic and six aerogenicErwinia strains, were isolated from human sources. The genusErwinia contained two groups; an anaerogenic group which produced aggregates of bacteria (symplasmata) in the syneresis water of slant cultures and biconvex bodies in colonies on agar medium, and an aerogenic group which lacked these characteristics.Erwinia was differentiated fromEnterobacter, since the latter possessed dihydrolase and decarboxylase activity and demonstrated resistance to cephalothin.