TABLE 1.
B. henselae isolates used in this study
| Isolate | 16S (Bergmans) typea | gltA varianta | Colonies (piliation) | Subculture (passage) no. | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| H-1 | I | H | SNP (+) | >3 | ATCC 49882 (Houston-1 type strain) |
| 49793 | I | H | SNP (−) | >6 | ATCC 49793 |
| BH5 | I | H | DAP (+) | 2 | Cat scratch disease patient (this study) |
| M-1 | II | M | SNP (+) | >3 | URBHLLY-8 (Marseille); D. Raoult (5) |
| BH4 | II | M | SNP (+) | 1 | Cat scratch disease patient (this study) |
| HC35 | II | H | DAP (+) | 4 | T. Gottlieb (4); feline isolate |
| HC35 | II | H | DAP (+) | 20 | This study |
16S and gltA types were determined by direct sequencing of PCR products as previously described (2, 3). Two variants (designated H and M) of the citrate synthase gene (gltA) were compared with previously published sequences (3); the BH5 gltA sequence was identical to that of HC35, ATCC 49793, and Houston-1; the BH4 gltA sequence was identical to that of URBHLLY-8 and was submitted to the EMBL database and assigned accession no. AJ439406. Colonies grew as dry-agar-pitting (DAP) or smooth, nonpitting (SNP) forms on chocolate agar (37°C; 5% CO2); piliation was determined by transmission electron microscopic examination of late-logarithmic-phase cultures grown on chocolate agar (+ = detected; − = not detected). Some strains imported or acquired from other labs had been subcultured in vitro prior to arrival. BH4 and BH5 were grown directly from fresh human lymph nodes in our laboratory.