

INFLUENZA BACILLUS 159 



Diagnosis of the disease can be effected by the agglutination 

 test, and by splenic puncture, and blood cultures. 



It is present in the blood and is excreted via the urine and milk. 

 The goat while not suffering with Malta fever can carry the germs 

 in its body and excrete them in the milk. Goats' milk is a general 

 food in Malta. The inference is obvious. Flies may transmit the 

 bacilli. 



INFLUENZA BACILLUS 



Bacterium Influenzse. 



Influenza bacillus. 



Morphology and Stains. Very small short rods which are 

 often in pairs, found within epithelial and pus cells, and in sputum; 

 from 40 to 80 in a cell. May grow out into short mycelia. No 

 flagella or spores are formed. Stains weakly. Carbol-fuchsin, di- 

 luted, gives the best result. The ends of the bacillus stain more 

 deeply than do the rest of the cell. It is decolorized by Gram's 

 stain. 



Oxygen Requirements. It is a strict aerobe. 



Cultures grow best on blood-smeared agar, or in blood bouillon 

 between 27 and 4iC.; best at 37C. Blood or haemoglobin is 

 demanded for all cultures. In bouillon it grows in thin white 

 flocculi. On agar in small transparent "dewdrop" colonies, 

 never luxuriantly. Grown in the same culture with Staphylo- 

 coccus aureus, it increases more luxuriantly (symbiosis). It is 

 probable that the cocci, in some way, alter the blood of the culture 

 media. Very satisfactory media may be made by heating blood 

 agar or by the addition of sodium oleate to it. 



Vitality. It is easily killed by light, heat and drying. Lives 

 but a day in distilled water, and from eight to twenty-four hours 

 in dried sputum. 



Habitat. Never outside the body; always a strict parasite. It 

 is found in the mucous membranes of the upper respiratory tract, 

 and in the mucous secretions. 



