Reinvestigation and reclassification of a collection of 56 human isolates of Pasteurellaceae.

Incorrect diagnosis of species belonging to the family Pasteurellaceae Pohl 1981 is often due to inadequate laboratory identification techniques. Reinvestigations of 56 human isolates of Pasteurellaceae and comparison of the results obtained with those obtained from nine reference strains in 65 different tests allowed classification of 26 strains as P. multocida ssp. multocida, 11 strains as P. multocida ssp. septica, 12 strains as P. canis, 4 strains as P. dagmatis and 1 strain as P. stomatitis. Two strains were tentatively classified with P. haemolytica biogroup 2(T) and the SP-group, respectively. The present investigation also showed that the type strains of P. gallinarum and Haemophilus aphrophilus were phenotypically related. Members of the family Pasteurellacea Pohl 1981 should be considered as potential etiologic agents of any local infection following animal bites or scratches.