436 



ORDER IV. EUBACTERIALES 



esculin, amygdalin, arabinose, cellobiose, 

 dextrin, fructose, galactose, glycogen, 

 inulin, lactose, glucose, maltose, mannose, 

 raffinose, rhamnose, salacin, starch, sucrose 

 and xylose. No acid or gas from glycerol, 

 mannitol, melezitose, sorbitol or trehalose 

 (Eggerth and Gagnon). 



Nitrites not produced from nitrates 

 (Eggerth and Gagnon) . 



Peptone: No gas. 



Anaerobic. 



Optimum temperature, 37° C. 



Non-pathogenic for white mice or rabbits. 



Distinctive characters: Encapsulated. 



Source: Isolated from human feces by 

 Distaso and by Eggerth and Gagnon (8 

 strains). 



Habitat: Probably the intestinal canals 

 of mammals. 



29. Bacteroides serpens (Veillon and 

 Zuber, 1898) Hauduroy et al., 1937. {Bacillus 

 serpens Veillon and Zuber, Arch. Med. Exp. 

 et Anat. Path., 10, 1898, 870; Hauduroy et 

 al.. Diet. d. Bact. Path., 1937, 74; Zuherella 

 serpens Prevot, Ann. Inst. Past., 60, 1938, 

 293 (type species of genus Zuherella Prevot, 

 i6zd.,290).) 



ser'pens. L. part. adj. serpens creeping. 



Thick rods, with rounded ends, occurring 

 singly, in pairs or in short chains. Motile. 

 Gram-negative. 



Gelatin: Slow liquefaction, with gas. 



Agar colonies: Punctiform. 



Deep agar colonies: Small colonies in 48 

 hours, ray -like growth later. Gas produced. 



Broth: Turbid, then flocculent growth; 

 some gas with foul odor. 



Litmus milk: Acidified and coagulated in 

 six days with no digestion. 



Coagulated egg white and serum not 

 liquefied. 



Hydrogen sulfide not produced. 



Acid from fructose, galactose, maltose 

 and lactose. 



Anaerobic. 



Optimum temperature, 37° C. 



Experimental pathogenicity: Some strains 

 produce abscesses in rabbits, guinea pigs 

 and mice. 



Source and habitat: Acute appendicitis, 

 mastoiditis, pulmonary gangrene, bile tract 

 of dog and sea water. 



30. Bacteroides variegatus (Distaso, 

 1912) Castellani and Chalmers, 1919. {Bacil- 

 lus variegatus Distaso, Cent. f. Bakt., I 

 Abt., Orig., 62, 1912, 445; Castellani and 

 Chalmers, Man. Trop. Med., 3rd ed., 1919, 

 960; Zuherella variegata Prevot, Ann. Inst. 

 Past., 60, 1938,293.) 



va.rie.ga'tus. L. part. adj. variegatus 

 variegated. 



Rods occurring singly and in chains. 

 Motile by means of peritrichous fiagella. 

 Gram-negative. 



Gelatin stab: No liquefaction. 



Glucose agar colonies: Small, translucent, 

 entire. No gas produced. 



Broth: Turbid; no gas. 



Litmus milk: Acid, coagulated. 



Coagulated egg white: Not digested. 



Indole is produced. 



Acid but no gas from glucose or lactose. 



Anaerobic. 



Optimum temperature, 37° C. 



Source: Isolated from the intestines of 

 man. 



Habitat: Found in the intestinal tract of 

 man. 



Genus II. Fusobacterium Knorr, 1922* 



(Knorr, Cent. f. Bakt., I Abt., Orig., 87, 1922, 536; Fusocillus 

 Prevot, Ann. Inst. Past., 60, 1938, 300.) 



Fu.so.bac.te'ri.um. L. noun fusus a spindle; Gr. dim. noun hacterium a small rod; M.L. 

 noun Fusobacterium a spindle rodlet. 



Straight or curved rods, usually with tapering ends, occurring singly, in pairs and some- 

 times in short chains; filaments are common. Motile {Fusocillus) and non-motile species 

 occur; the motile species may show oscillation of both ends of the rod or movements of 



* Revised by Dr. Heiner Hoffman, College of Dentistry, New York University, New York 

 City, New York, May, 1955. 



