Contribution to the study of Pasteurela species

Abstract

satisfactory classification for the Pasteurella of the hemorrhagic septicemia group of animals. The zoological classification proposed by Lignières is impracticable, cannot resist the critics and ought to be substituted as there is no relation between the animal host and the biochemical or serological properties of the isolated germs. It was observed that, with reference to the antigen, the germs show such differences which are not sufficient to establish a classification. Studying the biochemical properties, the authors observed that there exists a relation between the fermentative action of the l-arabinose

and the class of the host animals. Of the Pasteurellae isolated from fowl,  96,88% fermented the l-arabinose and only 3,12% did not ferment it and, from those isolated from mammals 82,50% did not ferment the l-arabinose, whilst 17,7% have fermented it.

Based on the fermentation test of the l-arabinose, the authors proposed to group the Pasteurellae responsible for the hemorrhagic septicemia in only two species: Pasteurella gamaleiae, for the group fermenting l-arabinose and Pasteurella bollingeri for the group which does not ferment the l-arabinose. The following key was proposed for the Genus Pasteurella:

Genus Pasteurella Trevisan (Octopsis Trevisan, Atti della Accad. Fisio-Medico-Statistica, Milano, Ser. 4, 3, 1885, 102; Trevisan, Rendiconti Reale Instituto Lombardo di Scienze e Lettere, 1887, 94; Coccobacillus Gamaleia, Cent. F. Bakt., 4, 1888, 167; Eucystia. Enderlein, Sitzber. Gesell. Naturf. Freunde, Berlin, 1917, 317.) Named for Louis Pasteur, the French scientist. Small, Gram-negative, ovoid to elongated rods showing bipolar staining by special methods; aerobic, facultative; require low oxidation-reduction potencial on primary isolation; powers of carbohydrate fermentation slight ; no lactose fermentation; no gas production; gelatin not liquefied; milk not coagulated; parasitic on man, other mamals and birds.The type species is:

Pasteurella gamaleiae - Pasteurella avicida (Gamaleia) Trevisan (Pasteurella aviseptica (Kitt) Schutze).

Key to the species of Genus Pasteurella:

I - Growth on ordinary media; growth in milk.

A. Non-motile and non-flagellated at 18° to 26°C. No change or slight acid in milk without clot.

1 – Indol and H2S produced.  No growth in bile. d-sorbitol fermented.

a) l-arabinose fermented – 1.  Pasteurella gamaleiae.

aa) l-arabinose not ferrnented - 2. Pasteurella bollingeri.

2 - Neither indol nor H2S produced. Growth in bile. d-sorbitol not fermented - 3. Pasteurella pestis.

B. Motile and flagellated at 18° to 26°C. Milk alkaline. Hydrogen sulfide produced.

Indol not produced. - 4. Pasteurella pseudotuberculosis.

II - No growth on ordinary media; no growth in milk. - 5. Pasteurella tularensis.