Pasteurella species

MICROBIOLOGY

• Aerobic to facultatively anaerobic, non-motile small Gram-negative bacillus or may appear as coccobacillus.
• Grows best on 5% sheep blood agar at 37°C.
• Pasturella multocida the most common species causing human infection. Others include P. multocida subspecies septica, and P. multocida subsp gallicida, P. canis., P. dagmatis and P. stomatis. Typing of usually done by serology examining capsular antigens (A-F) although molecular methods also capable.

• Common inhabitant of feline > canine oral flora. Common cause of illness in rabbits.
• Often part of polymicrobial aerobic and anaerobic flora of domestic pet bite wound infections.
• Animal bites or scratches may result in cellulitis +/- bacteremia.
• Pasteurella usually susceptible to penicillins, tetracyclines or chloramphenicol.