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Proteus infection historical perspective

Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1] Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Yazan Daaboul, M.D.

Overview

Overview

Proteus infections were first described by Gustav Hauster, a German pathologist, in 1885. Hauster coined the term Proteus based on the organism’s ability to change shape from Homer’s Greek tale, the Odyssey.

Historical Perspective

Historical Perspective

  • Proteus infections were first described by Gustav Hauster, a German pathologist, in 1885.
  • Hauster coined the term Proteus based on the organism’s ability to change shape from Homer’s Greek tale, the Odyssey. Proteus refers to the “sea god” or “Poseidon’s herdsman of the seals”.[1]
  • Hauser also coined the terms P. vulgaris (i.e. the usual) and P. mirabilis (i.e. the marvelous or the unusual).
References

References

  1. Sellaturay SV, Nair R, Dickinson IK, Sriprasad S (2012). “Proteus: Mythology to modern times”. Indian J Urol. 28 (4): 388–91. doi:10.4103/0970-1591.105748. PMC 3579116. PMID 23450503.

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