302 



MANUAL OF DETERMINATIVE BACTERIOLOGY 



June 30, 1935; Pedro del Corral, Rev. de 

 Med. y Cir. de la Clinica Macacay, April, 

 1935; Hauduroy et al., Diet. d. Bact. 



Path., 1937, 308.) Found in localized 

 epidemics of cerebrospinal meningitis 

 in Venezuela. 



, Genus II. Veillonella Prevot.* 



(Ann. Sci. Nat., Ser. Bot., 15, 1933, 118.) Named for A. Veillon, the French 

 bacteriologist, who isolated the type species. 



Small, Gram-negative cocci averaging 0.3 micron. Occur in masses, rarely in pairs 

 or short chains. Cells undifferentiated. United by an interstitial substance of 

 ectoplasmic nature. The known species are anaerobic. Good growth on standard 

 culture media. Biochemical activity pronounced. Harmless parasites in mouth and 

 intestine of man and animals. 



The type species is Veillonella parvnla (Veillon and Zuber) Prevot. 



Key to the species of genus Veillonella. 



I. Acid and gas from glucose. Weakly hemolytic. 



1. Veillonella parvula. 



II. Carbohydrates not attacked. Gas produced from peptone broth. Non- 

 hemolytic. 



2. Veillonella gazogenes. 



1. Veillonella parvula (Veillon and 

 Zuber) Prevot. (Staphylococcus parvu- 

 lus Veillon and Zuber, Arch. med. Exp., 

 1898, 542; Micrococcus parvulus Bergey 

 et al.. Manual, 3rd ed., 1930, 92; Prevot, 

 Ann. Sci. Nat., Ser. Bot., 15, 1933, 119.) 

 From Latin, parvulus, very small. 



Description from Prevot (loc. cit.). 



Very small spheres: 0.2 to 0.4 micron, 

 occurring in masses, occasionally in very 

 short chains. Gram-negative. 



Gelatin : No liquefaction. 



Semisolid agar (Veillon) colonies: At 

 first punctiform, becoming lenticular, 

 reaching a diameter of 2 mm. Gas bub- 

 bles. 



Blood agar colonies : Usually surround- 

 ed by a clear halo; weakly hemolytic. 



Agar slant: Transparent, bluish, min- 

 ute colonies. 



Peptone broth: Turbid with fine sedi- 

 ment. 



Glucose broth: Turbid. Faintly fetid 

 odor. Gas produced contains CO2, H2 

 and H2S. 



Broth serum: Very abundant, rapid 

 growth . 



Milk: No acid. Not coagulated. 

 Some strains produce gas. 



Small amount of indole formed. 



Nitrites produced from nitrates. 



.\cid and gas from glucose. Slight 

 amount of acid from fructose, galactose 

 and sucrose. Some strains feebly attack 

 mannitol, maltose and inulin. 



Coagulated protein not attacked. 



.Ammonia not produced. 



Hydrogen sulfide produced. 



Optimum pH G.5 to 8.0. 



Temperature relations : Optimum 37°C. 

 Grows feebly at 22°C. Killed in one 

 hour at 55°C. 



Strict anaerobe. 



Distinctive characters : Fermentation 

 of polypeptids to produce hydrogen, 

 carbon dioxide, hydrogen sulfide and 

 indole ; fermentation of sugars ; hemoly- 

 sis of blood; production of nitrites from 

 nitrates. 



Source : Isolated by Veillon and Zuber 

 from appendices, buccal cavities and 

 lungs. Of the 13 strains studied by 

 Prevot, 3 were isolated from pulmonary 

 gangrene, one from an appendix, one 



* Revised by Prof. E. G. D. Murray, McGill University, Montreal, P. Q., Can- 

 ada, June, 1938. Descriptions reviewed by Dr. Ivan C. Hall, New York City, Jan- 

 uary, 1944. 



