Genus V. Streptobacillus Levaditi et al., 1925.[1]
(Streptothrix Schottmiiller, Dermat. Wochnschr., 68, 1914, Supplement, 77; not Strepto- thrix Corda, Prachtflora Europaeischer Schimmelbildung, 1839; Actinomyces Lieske, Morph. u. Biol. d. Strahlenpilze, Leipzig, 1921, 31; not Actinomyces Harz, in Bollinger, Centbl. f. med. Wissensch., 15, 1877; 485; Levaditi, Nicolau and Poincloux, Compt. rend. Acad. Sci., Paris, 180, 1925, 1188; not Streptobacillus Ueke, Cent. f. Bakt., I Abt., 23, 1898, 996; Astero- coccus (in part) Heilman, Jour. Inf. Dis., 69, 1941, 32; Pruactinomyces (in part) Krassilnikov, Guide to the Actinomycetes, Izd. Akad. Nauk, U.S.S.R., Moskau, 1941, 76.) As Streptobacillus Levaditi et al., 1925, is generally used as the generic name of the or- ganisms in this genus, it is retained for use in this edition of the Manual although Strep- tobacillus Ueke, 1898, type species S. terrae Ueke, clearly antedates it. Streptobacillus Ueke is now generally regarded as a synonym of Bacillus Cohn, for the type species of Ueke's genus is an aerobic sporeformer while Streptobacillus moniliformis Levaditi et al. is a non- sporeformer. Possibly Haverhillia Parker and Hudson (Amer. Jour. Path., 2, 1926, 357), type species Haverhillia multiformis Parker and Hudson (loc. cit.), should be accepted as the legitimate name for the rat-bite-fever organism. However, except for a purely morphologi- cal comparison based on stained smears (van Rooyen, Jour. Path, and Bact., 4^, 1936, 455), no direct comparative studies of the rat-bite-fever organism and the organism that caused the epidemic in Haverhill, Massachusetts have been made as yet, and the latter was re- garded as having been transmitted by ingested milk, not by rat bites. Until the relation- ship of the two species is established by further research, it has seemed advisable not to complicate further the problems of nomenclature by using the generic name Haverhillia Parker and Hudson at this place. Strep. to. ba.cil'lus. Gr. adj. streptus pliant; L. dim. noun bacillum a small rod; M.L. noun bacillus a rodlet; M.L. noun Streptobacillus pliant rodlet. Pleomorphic bacilli which vary from short rods to long, interwoven filaments which have a tendency to fragment into chains of bacillary and coccobacillary elements. Under certain conditions Monilia-ike swellings are formed along the length of each filament. Not encapsulated. Non-motile. Not acid-fast. Gram-negative. Require media enriched with as- citic fluid or blood serum for good growth. Discrete, colorless or grayish to whitish colonies are formed on solid media. Flocculent, whitish growth at the bottom of fluid media. Spon- taneous L-phase variation occurs. Aerobic, facultative; anaerobic conditions sometimes produce the best growth on primary isolation. Parasitic to pathogenic for rats, mice and other mammals. The type species is Streptobacillus moniliformis Levaditi et al. 1. Streptobacillus moniliformis Leva- Jour. Inf. Dis., 69, 1941, 32; Proactinomyces diti et al., 1925. (Streptothrix muris ratti muris Krassilnikov, Guide to the Actino- Schottmiiller, Dermat. Wochnschr., 58, mycetes, Izd. Akad. Nauk, U.S.S.R., Mos- 1914, Supplement, 77; Nocardia muris de kau, 1941, 76; Haverhillia moniliformis Mello and Pais, Arq. Hig. Pat. Exot., 6, Prevot, in Hauduroy et al.. Diet. d. Bact. 1918, 183; Actinomyces muris ratti Lieske, Path., 2« ed., 1953, 266.) Morph. u. Biol. d. Strahlenpilze, Leipzig, mo.ni.li.for'mis. L. noun monile a neck- 1921, 31; Levaditi, Nicolau and Poincloux, lace; L. noun forma shape; M.L. adj. moni- Compt. rend. Acad. Sci., Paris, 180, 1925, liformis necklace-like. 1188; Haverhillia multiformis Parker and Highly pleomorphic rods, 0.1 to 0.5 by Hudson, Amer. Jour. Path., 2, 1926, 357; 2.0 or 5.0 to 10.0 or 15.0 microns, with Actinomyces muris Topley and Wilson, rounded or occasionally pointed ends, form- Princip. of Bact. and Immun., 2nd ed., ing long, wavy, curved or looped filaments 1936, 274; Asterococcus nmris Heilman, up to 100 to 150 microns in length. In young
- ↑ Prepared by Dr. E. A. Freundt, Statens Seruminstitut, Copenhagen, Denmark, April, 1955
