Bacillus Mallei, Loffler and Schutz (1882). 

 GLANDERS: MORVE (jFV.); ROTZ (6rerm.); MALLEUS (Lat.). 



ORIGIN. Found in the nodules, ulcers, discharges, etc., of glan- 

 ders or farcy. 



FORM. Rods with rounded ends, straight or slightly curved, 

 shorter and thicker than the tubercle bacillus. Usually single; may 

 grow in pairs or in short threads. 



MOTILITY. It shows very marked Brownian motion. 



SPORULATION. Bright bodies are frequently found in the cells, a& 

 in the tubercle bacillus; are considered by Loffler as the first indica- 

 tion of degeneration. Real spores are unknown. The bacillus itself 

 is not very resistant to desiccation. 



ANILIN DYES. It is stained unevenly and decolors rapidly. Car- 

 bolic fuchsin, or alkaline anilin gentian violet, or anilin fuchsin stain 

 well, especially when warmed. It is not stained by Gram's method. 



GROWTH. This occurs best at a relatively high temperature. 

 Growth is rapid. Glycerin agar is the best medium. 



Plates. As a rule, colonies cannot be obtained with gelatin. On glycerin agar at 37 

 excellent colonies form in a day or two. These are round, grayish and glistening in ap- 

 pearance, with granular contents and smooth sharp borders. 



Stab culture. Can be made in glycerin agar; in gelatin it develops very slowly. 



Streak culture. On glycerin agar forms a thick, moist, slimy, semi-transparent 

 growth. On potato the growth is very characteristic. At first it forms a thin, transparent, 

 honey or amber-colored growth which later becomes reddish-brown. On blood-serum it 

 forms yellowish, transparent spots which eventually fuse together and yield a slimy, whit- 

 ish growth. 



Bouillon. In this it grows readily and abundantly; diffuse cloudiness with slimy 

 ring on the surface. Mallein is the filtered bouillon culture of the glanders bacillus. 

 It is, therefore, analogous to tuberculin. 



In milk it produces an acid reaction. 



OXYGEN REQUIRKMKNTS. -It is a facultative anaerobe. 



TEMPERATURE. It does not grow below 25 very readily, or above 

 42. The optimum is about 37. 



BEHAVIOR TO GELATIN.- Scarcely any growth at first. Eventually,, 

 may become accustomed to growth at the ordinary room temperature.. 



ATTENUATION. This takes place rapidly when grown on artificial 

 media. The bacillus must be frequently passed through an animal, 

 otherwise the virulence is lost and the organism may die out. 



IMMUNITY. Small amounts of a bouillon culture injected intra- 

 venously into dogs confer immunity. 



PATHOGENESIS. Man, horse, ass, guinea-pigs, field mice, cats and 

 goats are highly susceptible. Ordinary and white mice, cattle and 

 hogs are immune, while dogs, rabbits and sheep are but slightly sus- 

 ceptible. White mice become susceptible when fed with phloridzin. 

 Susceptible animals on inoculation develop typical glanders. In 



fuinea-pigs death results in 4 to 6 or 8 weeks. Field mice die in a few 

 ays. Enlarged lymphatics, nodules in liver, spleen, etc. Bacilli 

 present. 



INFECTION. This may occur through wounds inoculation glanders. 

 In one instance a man was accidentally and fatally inoculated with a 

 pure culture. Probably, the usual source of infection in horses is- 

 along the respiratory tract. 



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