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Volume 32, Number 1—January 2026

Research

Detection of Novel Thermotolerant Tepidimonas sp. Bacteria in Human Respiratory Specimens, Hong Kong, China, 2024

Kelvin Hei-Yeung Chiu, Shuk-Ching Wong, Edwin Kwan-Yeung Chiu, Raymond Hon Man Ng, Jonathan Hon-Kwan Chen, Jordan Yik-Hei Fong, Lithia Lai-Ha Yuen, Simon Yung-Chun So, David Christopher Lung, Vincent Chi-Chung Cheng, Kwok-Yung YuenComments to Author , and Jade Lee-Lee TengComments to Author 
Author affiliation: Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong, China (K.H.-Y. Chiu, S.-C. Wong, E.K.-Y. Chiu, R.H.-M. Ng, J.H.-K. Chen, L.L.-H. Yuen, S.Y.-C. So, V.C.-C. Cheng); University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong (S.-C. Wong, J.H.-K. Chen, J.Y.-H. Fong, K.-Y. Yuen, J.L.-L. Teng); Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Hong Kong (D.C. Lung); Hong Kong Children’s Hospital, Hong Kong (D.C. Lung)

Main Article

Table 4

Laboratory characteristics of 3 strains of novel thermotolerant Tepidimonas spp. bacteria isolated in human respiratory specimens, Hong Kong, China, 2024*

Test HKU77T HKU78 HKU79
Gram stain
 Gram-negative rod
 Gram-negative rod
 Gram-negative rod
Anaerobic growth
 No growth
 No growth
 No growth
Motility
 Motile
 Motile
 Motile
Oxidase
 Positive
 Positive
 Positive
Catalase, 15% H2O2
 Weakly positive
 Weakly positive
 Weakly positive
Yellow pigment
 Slightly brown
 Slightly brown
 Slightly brown
Hemolysis
 Negative
 Negative
 Negative
UV fluorescence
 Negative
 Negative
 Negative
Growth, 72 h
25°C No growth No growth No growth
37°C Very slow growth Very slow growth Very slow growth
42°C Slow growth Slow growth Slow growth
50°C
 Growth
 Growth
 Growth
Growth rate, 50°C, 72 h
Chocolate agar Same as blood agar Same as blood agar Same as blood agar
Haemophilus test medium Nearly same as blood agar Nearly same as blood agar Nearly same as blood agar
Brucella agar Slower than blood agar Slower than blood agar Slower than blood agar
BCYE agar No growth No growth No growth
Oxoid brain–heart infusion agar
 No growth
 No growth
 No growth
Egg yolk agar, 50°C
 Negative
 Negative
 Negative
DNAase agar, 50°C
 Negative
 Negative
 Negative
Gelatinase agar, 50°C
 Negative
 Negative
 Negative
Glucose oxidation and fermentation test, 50°C
 Inert
 Inert
 Inert
Nitrate, 50°C
 Positive
 Positive
 Positive
Urease, 50°C
 Weakly positive
 Weakly positive
 Weakly positive
ONPG, 50°C
 Negative
 Negative
 Negative
Positive by VITEK AutoMicrobic GNI+ system†, McFarland 2
 Glutamyl arylamidsae, tyrosine arylamidase
 Glutamyl arylamidsae, tyrosine arylamidase, L-proline arylamidase, Ellman’s test
 Glutamyl arylamidsae, tyrosine arylamidase
MIC, μg/mL at 50°C
Vancomycin 64 48 64
Penicillin <0.016 <0.016 <0.016

*Strains of novel T. hongkongensis. BCYE, buffered charcoal yeast extract; ONPG, ortho-Nitrophenyl-β-galactoside; UV, ultraviolet. †bioMérieux, https://www.biomerieux.com.

Main Article

Page created: December 30, 2025
Page updated: January 29, 2026
Page reviewed: January 29, 2026
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