Proteus vulgaris is a ro-shaped (bacilli) Gram negative bacterium (a chemoheterotroph) that inhabits the intestinal tracts of animals, but it can also be found in soil, stagnant water, standing water, fecal matter, raw meats, and dust. Also called, "P. vulgaris", it is in the Proteobacteria and considered to be pathogenic. In humans, it can cause many different types of infection including: urinary tract infections and wound infections, and is a common cause of sinus and respiratory infections, especially in South East Asia, which can be extremely hard to eradicate in sinus and respiratory tissues.