954 



ORDER I. RICKETTSIALES 



Comment: Hertig {loc. cit.) regarded this 

 species as possibly related to Rickettsia 

 lectularia Arkwright et al. Philip (Canad. 

 Jour. Microbiol., 2, 1956, 266), however, 

 regards these two species as more logically 

 placed in different genera. 



Pathogenicity and source: This species is 

 described in the role of a harmless parasite 

 which causes some degeneration of parasi- 

 tized gonad cells of the mosquito host, 

 Culex pipiens; studied in mosquitoes of 

 North America and China. It is passed 

 through the eggs of the host to succeeding 

 generations. 



2. Wolbachia culicis (Brumpt, 1938) 

 Philip, 1956. (Rickettsia culicis Brumpt, 

 Ann. Parasitol. Hum. et Comp., 16, 1938, 

 153; Philip, Canad. Jour. Microbiol., 2, 1956, 

 267.) 



cu.li'cis. M.L. noun Culex a genus of 

 mosquitoes; M.L. gen. noun culicis of Culex. 



Small, pleomorphic, intracellular organ- 

 isms. Stained in sections with haemalum, 

 and with erythrosine-orange and toluidine- 

 blue. Gram-negative. 



Cultivation: No attempts reported. 



Pathogenicity and source: Found in the 

 epithelial lining of the stomach of mos- 

 quitoes (Culex fatigans), where destruction 

 of the cells of the hind gut occurs. Differ- 

 entiation from W. pipientis Hertig is pre- 

 sumably on the basis of this pathogenicitj^ 

 though it remains to be proved that this is 

 not a strain difference. Brumpt postulated 

 that parasitism of man might occur since 

 the original mosquitoes had been fed on 

 filaria-carrying persons. 



3. Wolbachia ctenocephali (Sikora, 

 1918) Philip, 1956. (Rickettsia ctenocephali 

 Sikora, Arch. f. Schiffs- u. Tropen-Hyg., 22, 

 1918, 445; Philip, Canad. Jour. Microbiol., 

 2, 1956, 267.) 



cte.no.ce'pha.li. M.L. mas.n. Ctenocepha- 

 lus (now Ctenocephalides) a genus of fleas; 

 M.L. gen. noun ctenocephali of Ctenocephalus. 



Organisms of two sizes were observed by 

 Sikora, the larger resembling Rickettsia 

 pediculi and the smaller, Rickettsia melo- 

 phagi. Vary from minute cocci, 0.3 to 0.4 

 micron in diameter, to rather large, swol. 

 len, curved rods, 0.3 by 1.5 to 2.0 microns- 



Stain reddish with Giemsa's stain. Bipolar 

 staining observed in some rods. Gram- 

 negative. 



Cultivation: Not reported, though propa- 

 gation in the coelomic fluid of the body 

 louse is claimed. 



Comment: Regarded by Macchiavello 

 (Prim. Reunion Interamer. del Tifo, 

 Me.xico, 1947, 418) as a variety of his later 

 described Cowdryia pulex. 



Pathogenicity and source: Found on the 

 surface of organs in the body cavity and in 

 the coelomic fluid of cat fleas (presumably 

 Ctenocephalides felis) where no particular 

 damage was reported. 



4. Wolbachia pulex (Macchiavello, 1947) 

 Philip, 1956. (Cowdryia pidex Macchiavello, 

 Prim. Reunion Interamer. del Tifo, Mexico, 

 1947, 418; Philip, Canad. Jour. Microbiol., 

 2, 1956, 267.) 



pu'lex. M.L. noun Pulex a genus of fleas. 



Described as rickettsioid organisms and 

 as tj^pical rickettsias which, in fleas, can be 

 confused with bacteria, especially those of 

 the intestine. Macchiavello 's stain serves to 

 differentiate these organisms. Presumably 

 stain red by Macchiavello's method. 



Cultivation: Not attempted. 



Pathogenicity and source: Non-patho- 

 genic for the host fleas. Hundreds of inocula, 

 consisting of batches of fleas, when injected 

 into guinea pigs caused, in two instances, 

 symptomatic responses. However, in neither 

 case could this organism be related to the 

 response nor could Rickettsia typhi be elim- 

 inated as a potential excitant. 



5. Wolbachia trichodectae (Hindle, 

 1921) Philip, 1956. (Rickettsia trichodectae 

 Hindle, Parasitology, IS, 1921, 152; Philip, 

 Canad. Jour. Microbiol., 2, 1956, 267.) 



tri.cho.dec'tae. M.L. fem.n. Trichodectes 

 a genus of biting lice; M.L. gen. noun 

 trichodectae of Trichodectes. 



Rickettsia-like, extracellular, minute coc- 

 coid and rod-shaped organisms resembling 

 Wolbachia melophagi in morphology, aver- 

 aging 0.3 to 0.5 by 0.5 to 0.9 micron. Stain 

 purple with Giemsa's stain. 



Cultivation: Not reported. 



Source: Found in 7 to 8 per cent of biting 

 lice (Trichodectes pilosus) where it propa- 



