This microbe was formerly considered part of the Klebsiella group 47. It is a short, straight rod occurring singly, in pairs, and in short chains. It was first isolated from human urine. It is nonmotile. Gram reaction is negative. Gas is produced from sugars; hydrogen sulfide is not produced. It is an opportunistic pathogen found in human clinical specimens, mainly from the respiratory tract and blood. It has been associated with diverse infections, such as enteric fever-like syndrome, pancreatitis, and mastitis in cattle. Unlike Klebsiella spp., with which this genus is closely related, Raoultella spp. grow well at more moderate temperatures in the range of 10-37 C.