Aerococcus urinae

Aerococcus urinae is a member of the bacterial genus Aerococcus. The bacterium is a Gram-positive, catalase-negative coccus growing in clusters. Isolates of this genus were originally isolated in 1953 from samples collected in the air and dust of occupied rooms and were distinguished by their tetrad cellular arrangements. Later, it was found in the urine of patients with urinary tract infections and in 1992, A. urinae was assigned as distinct species. Due to difficulties in the biochemical identification of A. urinae in clinical microbiological laboratories, the incidence of infections with this bacterium has likely been underestimated and secure identification relies on genetic techniques like 16S ribosomal subunit sequencing or mass spectroscopic methods such as MALDI-TOF.