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Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences

Veterinary bacteriology: information about important bacteria
Veterinary bacteriology


Species/Subspecies: Brucella ceti
Etymology: Genus name: named after Sir David Bruce, who first identified the organism, which causes brucellosis.
Species epithet: of a large sea animal.
Significance:Brucella spp. have been isolated from marine mammals. The importance of B. ceti in Sweden is unknown.
  [Of minor importance]   
Alternative Species Name(s):Brucella cetaceae
Taxonomy:
Phylum
Pseudomonadota
Class
Alphaproteobacteria
Order
Hyphomicrobiales
Family
Brucellaceae 
Genus
Brucella
Type Strain: BCCN 94-74 = NCTC 12891
Macromorphology (smell): Small non-haemolytic shiny and pale honey coloured colonies (0.5-1.0 mm in diameter), which are convex and circular.
Micromorphology: Non-motile coccoid or short rods (0.5-0.7 x 0.6-1.5), which are arranged singly or, less frequently, in pairs, short chains or small groups.
Gram +/Gram -:G-
Metabolism: Aerobic
Catalase/Oxidase:+/+
Other Enzymes: Tryptophanase -, Urease +
Biochemical Tests: H2S -, Voges-Proskauer -
Fermentation of carbohydrates: Most Brucella spp. do not produce acid by fermentation of carbohydrates.
Spec. Char.: Optimal growth temperature: 37°C, but growth occurs between 20 and 40°C.
Special Media:
Disease:
HostsDiseaseClinical picture
Marine mammals such as dolphins, porpoises and whalesBrucellosisAbortion, placentitis, epididymitis, meningitis, subcutaneous abscessation and discospondylitis.
Mostly asymptomatic carriers
16S rRNA Seq.:
Acc-noStrainNumber of NTOperon
AM158982 NCTC 12891T 1 430  

Taxonomy/phylogeny:
Brucella ceti  
About 25 species have been described within genus Brucella and this genus is closely related to genus Bartonella. From a phylogenetic point of view, B. abortus, B. canis, B. ceti, B. melitensis, B. neotome, B. ovis, B. pinnipedialis and B. suis represent the same species (B. melitensis), but due to different host specificities, they have been affiliated with different species.
Reference(s): No. 101
Updated:2023-03-22

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