Skip to main content
PMC home page
Journal of Clinical Microbiology logoLink to Journal of Clinical Microbiology
. 1979 Nov;10(5):622–627. doi: 10.1128/jcm.10.5.622-627.1979

Biochemical characterization of unidentified microaerophilic cocci isolated from heifer and dry-cow mastitis.

O Schwan, C E Nord, O Holmberg
PMCID: PMC273234  PMID: 397219

Abstract

Thirty-nine strains of gram-positive microaerophilic cocci isolated from cases of heifer and dry-cow mastitis were biochemically characterized with the API 50E and API-ZYM test kit systems, gas-liquid chromatography for analysis of end products of glucose metabolism, and anaerobic biochemical tests (L. V. Holdeman, E. P. Cato, and W. E. C. Moore, Anaerobe Laboratory Manual, Virginia Polytechnic Institute, Blacksburg, 1977). Strains were screened for production of a variety of extracellular enzymes on substrate-containing agar plates and for hemolysin and coagulase production. Antibiotic susceptibility and sensitivity tests were also performed. The microaerophilic cocci displayed homogeneity with respect to the majority of the biochemical tests used; i.e., greater than or equal to 90% of the strains were consistently positive or negative in any one test and probably represent one species. All produced deoxyribonuclease, ribonuclease, and hyaluronidase, and 92% were positive for chondroitin sulfatase. Catalase and coagulase tests were negative. Greening was observed on bovine blood agar. Acetic and succinic acids were produced by all strains as the only detectable products of glucose metabolism. The strains were susceptible to penicillin G, cefoxitin, doxycycline, and chloramphenicol and were resistant to clindamycin, novobiocin, and metronidazole. Their taxonomic position remains unclear.

Full text

PDF
626

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Brown M. R., Foster J. H. A simple diagnostic milk medium for Pseudomonas aeruginosa. J Clin Pathol. 1970 Mar;23(2):172–177. doi: 10.1136/jcp.23.2.172. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Chandler R. L., Anger H. S., Smith K. Observations on experimental mastitis in mice with reference to summer mastitis in cattle. J Comp Pathol. 1976 Apr;86(2):319–327. doi: 10.1016/0021-9975(76)90056-6. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. DUGUID J. P. The demonstration of bacterial capsules and slime. J Pathol Bacteriol. 1951 Oct;63(4):673–685. doi: 10.1002/path.1700630413. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Kloos W. E., Schleifer K. H. Simplified scheme for routine identification of human Staphylococcus species. J Clin Microbiol. 1975 Jan;1(1):82–88. doi: 10.1128/jcm.1.1.82-88.1975. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Lundbeck H., Tirunarayanan M. O. Investigation on the enzymes and toxins of staphylococci. Study of the "egg yolk reaction" using an agar plate assay method. Acta Pathol Microbiol Scand. 1966;68(1):123–134. doi: 10.1111/apm.1966.68.1.123. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Miller A., 3rd, Sandine W. E., Elliker P. R. Extracellular nuclease in the genus Lactobacillus. J Bacteriol. 1971 Oct;108(1):604–606. doi: 10.1128/jb.108.1.604-606.1971. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Mitchell R. G., Baird-Parker A. C. Novobiocin resistance and the classification of staphylococci and micrococci. J Appl Bacteriol. 1967 Apr;30(1):251–254. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2672.1967.tb00296.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. SBARRA A. J., GILFILLAN R. F., BARDAWIL W. A. A plate assay for elastase. Nature. 1960 Oct 22;188:322–323. doi: 10.1038/188322b0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. STUART P., BUNTAIN D., LANGRIDGE R. G. Bacteriological examination of secretions from cases of "summer mastitis" and experimental infection of non-lactating bovine udders. Vet Rec. 1951 Jul 7;63(27):451–453. doi: 10.1136/vr.63.27.451. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Schwan O. Biochemical, enzymatic, and serological differentiation of Peptococcus indolicus (Christiansen) Sørensen from Peptococcus asaccharolyticus (Distaso) Douglas. J Clin Microbiol. 1979 Feb;9(2):157–162. doi: 10.1128/jcm.9.2.157-162.1979. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Smith R. F., Willett N. P. Rapid plate method for screening hyaluronidase and chondroitin sulfatase-producing microorganisms. Appl Microbiol. 1968 Sep;16(9):1434–1436. doi: 10.1128/am.16.9.1434-1436.1968. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Tharagonnet D., Sisson P. R., Roxby C. M., Ingham H. R., Selkon J. B. The API ZYM system in the identification of Gram-negative anaerobes. J Clin Pathol. 1977 Jun;30(6):505–509. doi: 10.1136/jcp.30.6.505. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Watt B., Jack E. P. What are anaerobic cocci? J Med Microbiol. 1977 Nov;10(4):461–468. doi: 10.1099/00222615-10-4-461. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Wren M. W., Eldon C. P., Dakin G. H. Novobiocin and the differentiation of peptococci and peptostreptococci. J Clin Pathol. 1977 Jul;30(7):620–622. doi: 10.1136/jcp.30.7.620. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Journal of Clinical Microbiology are provided here courtesy of American Society for Microbiology (ASM)

RESOURCES