110 MEDICAL BACTERIOLOGY 



The clinical manifestations of paratyphoid B infections vary. In half or 

 more of the cases the disease runs a course similar to typhoid fever. Frequently 

 the picture is that of a gastro-enteritis of sudden onset, sometimes indis- 

 tinguishable from true cholera. Rarely the disease has occurred as an acute 

 pneumonia. 



The organism may be found in the blood, urine or feces of infected persons 

 and the organism differentiated from other members of the typhoid colon group 

 by cultural, agglutination and complement fixation tests. 



Milk is not coagulated by the paratyphoid B bacillus; it is acidulated during 

 the first 24 to 48 hours; in about 10 days the reaction becomes alkaline and 

 remains so thereafter. 



Glucose Media show acid and gas production; there is no acid production on 

 lactose or saccharose. 



BACILLUS ENTERITIDIS OF GAERTNER 



The bacillus enteritidis of Gaertner has been found in diseased mice, guinea- 

 pigs, rabbits and cattle. Infections in man have occurred as a result of eating 

 the meat of diseased cattle. This organism so closely resembles the para- 

 typhoid B bacillus that careful agglutination tests are required to differentiate 

 them. f 



BACILLUS ENTERITIDIS AERTRYCKE 



Bacillus enteritidis aertrycke is closely related to, if not identically the same, 

 as paratyphoid B bacillus. 



OTHER MEMBERS OF THE TYPHOID-COLON GROUP 



From time to time organisms are found which have the same distribution and 

 pathogenic properties as the colon bacillus; organisms that have also the same 

 morphology, motility and staining characteristics as the colon bacillus, and 

 apparently the same growth on plain agar, gelatin and bouillon, but differ from 

 the colon, the typhoid and other bacilli in their action on carbohydrates and their 

 behavior when brought into contact with sera containing specific precipitins, 

 agglutinins and lysins. 



Some of these very probably are distinct species and others, undoubtedly, are 

 atypical strains of colon or similar bacilli which have temporarily lost some of 

 their faculties. So many such organisms have been isolated and named it would 

 be almost impossible to enumerate, much less descfibe, them and commonly they 

 are referred to as a whole as paracolon bacilli. 



In addition to paratyphoid A, B, enteritidis of Gaertner, and enteritidis 

 Aertrycke, each of which is a distinct species, there are a large number of organ- 

 isms indistinguishable from them and the typhoid bacillus in most properties but 

 failing to conform in some important particular, the exact status of these is 

 doubtful and as a whole they are referred to as paratyphoid bacilli. 



For a more elaborate description of the paratyphoid bacilli see Archives of Internal Medi- 

 cine, vol. v, No. 3, Mar. 15, 1910. 



