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Veterinary bacteriology


Species/Subspecies: Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae
Categories: Zoonotic; causes hemolysis
Etymology: Genus name: erysipelas thread.
Species epithet: of red disease.
Significance:  [Very important]   
Taxonomy:
Phylum
Bacillota
Class
Erysipelotrichia
Order
Erysipelotrichales
Family
Erysipelothrichaceae 
Genus
Erysipelothrix
Type Strain: ATCC 19414 = CCUG 221 = NCTC 8163.
Macromorphology (smell):
Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae  Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae  
Small transparent nonpigmented colonies (0.2-1 mm in diameter) with a narrow zone of α-hemolysis on blood agar.
Micromorphology: Nonmotile and short rods (0.5 x 1.5-3.0 µm) with rounded ends, which may also grow as long filaments (about 60 µm in length).
Gram +/Gram -:
Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae  
G+
Metabolism: Facultatively anaeroic
Catalase/Oxidase:-/-
Other Enzymes: Hippuricase +, tryptophanase -, urease -.
Biochemical Tests: Citrate -, Voges-Proskauer -.
Fermentation of carbohydrates:
D-glucose
+
lactose
+
maltose
+
L-rhamnose
-
sucrose
(+)
L-arabinose
-
cellobiose
-
D-mannitol
-
salicin
-
trehalose
-
glycerol
-
inulin
-
raffinose
+
D-sorbitol
-
starch
-
Other carbohydrates: ribose -, xylose -.
Spec. Char.:
Special Media:
Disease:
HostsDiseaseClinical picture
PigErysipelas (Diamond skin disease)Acute and subacute form: Sepsis, sudden death, fever, arthritis, diamond shaped skin lesions
Chronic form: arthritis, endocarditis
PoultryErysipelasSepsis, increased herd mortality, decreased egg production and arthritis.
HumansErysipeloidRed rhomboidal patches on the skin, Note that erysipelas in humans is caused by Streptococcus spp.
SheepErysipelasPolyarthritis in lambs, pneumonia, endocarditits
Diagnostics:Culture after enrichment. Confirmation by MALDI-TOF or biochemical tests.
Genome Sequence:
Acc-noStrainSize (bp)Genome
AP012027 Fujisawa 1 787 941 1c + 0 

16S rRNA Seq.:
Acc-noStrainNumber of NTOperonSequence similarity
AB034200 ATCC 19414T 1 497 100% 

Taxonomy/phylogeny:
Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae  
Eight species have been described within the genus Erysipelothrix. E. rhusiopathiae can be confused with Erysipelothrix tonsillarum and their 16S rRNA sequences are almost identical (see the phylogenetic tree in Fig. 43:4).
Comment:Type species for the genus. Is zoonotic.
Reference(s): No. 19, 114, 117
Updated:2023-09-25

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