Biochemical Test of Klebsiella granulomatis

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Biochemical Test of Klebsiella granulomatis

Image: Granuloma inguinale (donovanosis) in a conventional Pap test.
A: Granulomatous inflammation is shown with epithelioid histiocytes and lymphocytes.
B: The organisms (Donovan bodies) can be seen in thin-walled intracytoplasmic vacuoles (circle ). (Pap stain, Mag ×200 in a and ×400 in b).
C: Macrophages show numerous safety pin-shaped structures with polar thickening of chromatin (Donovan bodies) and a halo around them (circle) (Pap, ×100).
Image Source: PathologyOutlines.com

Some of the characteristics are as follows:

Basic Characteristics

Properties (Klebsiella granulomatis)
Capsule Positive (+ve)
Catalase Positive (+ve)
Citrate Positive (+ve)
Flagella Negative (-ve)
Gram Staining Gram-negative
H2S Negative (-ve)
Indole Negative (-ve)
Motility Non-motile
MR (Methyl Red) Negative (-ve)
Nitrate Reduction Negative (-ve)
Oxidase Positive (+ve)
Shape Pleomorphic rods (coccobacillus) with rounded ends.

Occur singly or in clusters
Urease Positive (+ve)
VP (Voges Proskauer) Positive (+ve)

Fermentation of
Arabinose Negative (-ve)
Dulcitol Negative (-ve)
Glucose Positive (+ve)
Lactose Positive (+ve)
Malonate Positive (+ve)
Raffinose Negative (-ve)
Rhamnose Positive (+ve)
Xylose Positive (+ve)

Enzymatic Reactions
Lysine decarboxylase Positive (+ve)
ONPG (β-galactosidase) Positive (+ve)

References

  1. Bergey’s Manual of Systematic Bacteriology Volume 2: The Proteobacteria, Part B:The Gammaproteobacteria
  2. https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/medicine-and-dentistry/klebsiella-granulomatis
  3. https://www.bode-science-center.com/center/relevant-pathogens-from-a-z/klebsiella-granulomatis.html
  4. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK513306/
  5. https://www.britannica.com/science/Calymmatobacterium-granulomatis
  6. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4522720/
  7. http://web2.uwindsor.ca/courses/biology/fackrell/Microbes/5780.htm
  8. https://jcm.asm.org/content/jcm/35/11/2915.full.pdf
  9. http://www.antimicrobe.org/b108.asp
  10. https://www.microbiologyresearch.org/docserver/fulltext/jmm/46/7/medmicro-46-7-579.pdf?expires=1555736534&id=id&accname=guest&checksum=4DEEE3D33BE3D87ED0A3400A1E5EAE10

About Author

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Sagar Aryal, PhD

Dr. Sagar Aryal is a microbiologist, researcher, and science communicator from Nepal. He is also co-founder and Research Head of the Department of Natural Products at the Kathmandu Research Institute for Biological Sciences (KRIBS), where he leads research on natural product discovery and microbial biodiversity. Dr. Aryal earned his Ph.D. in Microbiology from Tribhuvan University, Kathmandu, Nepal, in 2025, supported by a DAAD Research Grant and a University Grants Commission (UGC) Nepal Ph.D. Fellowship. His research interests include Actinomycetes, Myxobacteria, microbial taxonomy, and natural products, particularly the discovery of bioactive compounds with potential pharmaceutical applications. He isolated and identified Nocardia nepalensis, a novel bacterial species from Nepal, contributing to understanding microbial diversity in the region. Dr. Aryal has published more than 16 research articles in international journals and contributed three book chapters to established academic publications. He has presented scientific research findings and developed international research collaborations through visits to more than 18 countries across Asia, Europe, North America, and Oceania. From 2023 to 2025, he served as the American Society for Microbiology (ASM) Young Ambassador to Nepal. Since December 2025, he has served as an Editorial Board Member of Scientific Reports, a Nature Portfolio journal. In recognition of his scientific contributions, Dr. Aryal received the NAST Science and Technology Youth Award 2025 from the Nepal Academy of Science and Technology. He previously received the Frs. Locke and Stiller Research Award (LSRA) for the 2017-2018 cycle from St. Xavier's College, Kathmandu, and a Nepal Academy of Science and Technology (NAST) Research Grant for 2017-2018. Alongside his scientific career, Dr. Aryal has more than 15 years of experience in blogging, content writing, and search engine optimization (SEO).