Habitat: Frequently found as an inhabit- ant of the human genital and rectal mucosa. The etiological implications of this organism in non-gonococcal urethritis and other in- flammatory conditions of the lower genital tract are still obscure. 13. Mycoplasma salivarium Edward, 1955. (Human type 4, Nicol and Edward, Brit. Jour. Vener. Dis., 29, 1953, 148; also see Edward, Jour. Gen. Microbiol., 10, 1954, 55; Edward, in Freundt, Internat. Bull, of Bact. Nomen. and Taxon., 5, 1955, 73; see Edward, Internat. Bull, of Bact. Nomen. and Taxon., 5, 1955, 90.) sa.li.va'ri.um. L. adj. salivarius salivary, slimy; intended to mean of saliva. Morphological characters not recorded. Gram-negative. Horse-serum agar: A film and spots may or may not be produced. Horse-blood agar: No hemolj-sis. Rabbit-serum agar: Very good growth. Semi -solid media: Smooth growth, best near the bottom. Glucose is not attacked. Growth is improved by the addition of thymonucleic acid upon primary isolation. Methylene blue is slowly reduced. Anaerobic on primary isolation. Serologically distinct from the genital species. Pathogenicity: Not tested. Comments: Other strains isolated from the mouth and pharynx in humans by Smith and Morton (Science, 113, 1951, 623), Mor- ton et al. (Jour. Dent. Res., SO, 1951, 415), Dienes and Madoff (Proc. Soc. Exp. Biol, and Med., 82, 1953, 36) and by Freundt (Acta Path, et Microbiol. Scand., 34, 1954, 127) appear to differ from Mycoplasma sali- varium Edward in their growth and cultural properties. Additional comparative studies are needed before the relationships of these organisms can be ascertained. Source: Isolated from human saliva. 14. Mycoplasma fermentans Edward, 1955. (G strains, Ruiter and Wentholt, Jour. Invest. Dermat., 18, 1952, 322; also see Acta Dermat. Venereol., S3, 1953, 123 and 130; human type 3, Nicol and Edward, Brit. Jour. Vener. Dis., 29, 1953, 147; also see Edward, Jour. Gen. Microbiol., 10, 1954, 54 and 55; Micromyces hominis, group II, Freundt, Acta Path, et Microbiol. Scand., 34, 1954, 143; also see Atti del VI Congresso Internazionale di Microbiologia, Roma, 1, 1953, 138; Edward, in Freundt, Internat. Bull, of Bact. Nomen. and Taxon., 5, 1955, 73; see Edward, Internat. Bull, of Bact. Nomen. and Taxon., 5, 1955, 90.) fer. men 'tans. L. part. adj. fermentans fermenting. Relatively stable mycelioid structure with filaments varying from 10 to 30 microns in length (Freundt, op. cit., 1954, 143). Gram-negative. Horse-serum agar: A film and spots are produced. Horse-blood agar : No hemolysis. Rabbit-serum agar : Good growth. Semi -solid media: Smooth growth, pref- erably near the bottom. Broth: Generalized opacity. Acid from glucose, fructose, galactose, maltose, glycogen, dextrin and starch; no acid from mannose, xylose, sucrose, lactose, salicin, glycerol or mannitol. Growth is usually improved by the addi- tion of thymonucleic acid and by aerobic conditions at pH 6.0 to 6.6 and by anaerobic conditions at pH 7.0 to 8.0. Reduction of methylene blue is rather rapid. Anaerobic or microaerophilic; usually very poor growth under aerobic conditions. Serologically distinct from Mycoplasma hominis Edward and M. salivarium Ed- ward. Pathogenicity: May or may not be patho- genic for mice; abscesses are sometimes pro- duced when inoculations of early subcul- tures are made in the foot pad of mice. Completely resistant to sulfathiazol, peni- cillin and erythromj^cin. Moderate sensi- tivity is shown to streptomycin, and the susceptibility to dihydrostreptomycin is variable. Highly sensitive to aureomycin, chloramphenicol and terramycin. Source: Isolated from human male and female genital tract. Habitat: Found not only in ulcerative genital lesions associated with fusiform bacilli and spirilla but also on the ap- parently normal genital mucosa.
