Ultrastructural Studies on an Unidentified Microorganism in Urine
We recently studied the fine structure of unusual microorganisms in a urine specimen. To our knowledge, previous electron microscopic investigation of these microorganisms has never been done. The microorganisms were found in the sediments of two separate urine specimens obtained from a 55 year old patient. In these samples, there were yeast cells and two types of gram negative microorganisms; a typical rodlike, non-mobile bacterium, and a spheroid form with two projections. The latter organisms were varying sizes and moved by a typical serpent-like motility. The rod-like structures were approximately 0.4 - 1 μ in diameter and up to 8 μ in length. The spheroid structures, which stained homogeneously and were not spore-like in appearance, were approximately 6 μ in diameter. A few intermediate or transitional forms of various sizes and shapes were also found.