View source for Paenibacillus

{{DISPLAYTITLE:''Paenibacillus''}}

==Background==
===Microbiology===
* Genus of [[Stain::Gram-positive]] [[Shape::bacillus|bacilli]]
* Closely related to [[Bacillus]] (the Latin name means "almost Bacillus")
* Environmental bacterium that usually lives in soil
* The more common species that have been isolated from humans include:
** [[Paenibacillus phoenicis]]
** [[Paenibacillus lautus]]
* Many other species are also occasionally isolated
** [[Paenibacillus larvae]] causes American foulbrood, an infection in honey bees
** [[Paenibacillus globratella]] causes deadly infections in snails

=== Risk Factors ===

* True infections are more common in immunocompromised patients

==Clinical Manifestations==
* Common cause of blood culture contamination
* However, can be a true pathogen 

==Management==
* Almost all resistant to [[ampicillin]]
* Often resistant to [[co-trimoxazole]]
* Usually susceptible to [[ceftriaxone]] and [[vancomycin]]
* Almost always susceptible to [[erythromycin]] and [[rifampin]]

[[Category:Gram-positive bacilli]]