A Taxonomic Study of Pasteurella septica, especially of Strains Isolated from Human Sources

Abstract

SUMMARY: The characteristics of fifty-nine strains of Pasteurella septica, mostly derived from human lesions, were analysed by an electronic computer. The cat strains showed a high degree of similarity to each other, while the dog strains were more variable. Most human infections other than those due to bites seem to be due to strains which probably originated from cats. The analysis suggests that P. septica is distantly related to P. pestis and P. pseudotuberculosis but that the two latter are closely related to each other.