Bacteroides species from the oral cavity and oral-associated diseases of cats.

One hundred and sixty-seven strains of Bacteroides were isolated from 71 subcutaneous fight-wound abscesses of cats, 21 cases of feline pyothorax, normal gingival margins from 10 cats and 6 cases of feline gingivitis. Bacteroides species constituted (as a proportion of all anaerobic isolates examined) 44.5% from subcutaneous abscesses, 33.7% from pyothoraxes, 37.5% from normal gingiva and 27.7% from diseased gingiva. Bacteroides tectum comprised 43.7% or 73 of 167 strains, followed by the black- or brown-pigmented asaccharolytic feline species of B. gingivalis, B. salivosus and Group B, comprising 32.3% or 54 of 167 strains. B. heparinolyticus (some 10% or 17 of 167 strains) was the next most common species described. The remainder consisted of two strains of B. fragilis and 21 unspeciated strains. Bacteroides tectum was frequently isolated from subcutaneous abscesses (43.7%) and pyothoraxes (46.6%), and it constituted some 33% of anaerobic isolated from normal gingiva. Bacteroides heparinolyticus was more commonly encountered in purulent lesions (abscesses and pyothoraxes) than in the oral cavity.