P. vulneris is a fermentative, oxidase-negative, motile rod, which holds characteristics of the family Enterobacteraceae.

This association gave the bacterium its species name, vulneris, which is Latin for wound.

[1][2] P. vulneris has a rod-like (bacilli) shape, and it achieves motility using peritrichous flagella (covering the whole body of the bacteria).

Colonies are generally smooth and low convex with shiny surfaces.

Twelve Hawaiian patients infected with strains of P. vulneris were isolated.