- Volume 16, Issue 2, 1966

SUMMARY. A new Salmonella serotype 41:d: z6 was described and the designation of S. hennepin was assigned to it. The culture was isolated from the liver of a green lizard (Crotaphytus collaris) in Minnesota.

Recommendations are made regarding the designations applied to the serotypes of Shigella flexneri, and certain changes are recommended in those applied to subserotypes of S. flexneri 3.

The use of abbreviated antigenic formulas, in addition to alphabetic designations, is recommended when reporting subserotypes of S. flexneri.

Analyses of cell-wall preparations from more than 230 aerobic actinomycetes representing most of the morphological types among those forming well developed mycelia (euactinomycetes) reveal that cell-wall preparations from all actinomycetes contain glucosamine, muramic acid, glutamic acid, and alanine as major constituents. In addition, the broad group of the streptomycetes, including the pathogenic S. somaliensis, contain major amounts of glycine and L-diaminopimelic acid. Preparations from micromonosporae contain glycine and meso-diaminopi-melic acid and those from members of the family Actinoplanaceae contain meso-diami-nopimelic acid with or without glycine. Preparations from strains of Dermatophilus, Thermoactinomyces, Microbispora and nocardiae of the madurae-pelletieri type contain meso-diaminopimelic acid. Preparations from strains of The rmomonospora, Micropolyspora, Pseudonocardia and nocardiae of the farcinica-asteroides type contain meso-diaminopimelic acid, arabinose and galactose. The genus Nocardia is not considered homogeneous with respect to the cell-wall composition of its members. Further studies will undoubtedly show the value of splitting that genus into two groups, but this must await the development of simple and reliable methods for differentiation.

An unusual green-spored streptomycete has been isolated repeatedly from soils collected in India. The organism differs sufficiently from existing green-spored members of the genus to be considered a new species. The name Streptomyces prasinosporus is proposed for the new organism. The specific epithet was chosen to be descriptive of its spores.

Production of indol by bacteria appears to be limited to those which produce acid from glucose fermentatively and reduce nitrate. From more limited experience, Gram - positive and pigmented bacteria did not produce indol.

Laboratory equipment and techniques which have been developed for the production of highly reduced media and for the handling and inoculation of large numbers of fastidiously anaerobic bacteria are described. With these techniques over 150 cultural and biochemical characteristics have been routinely determined on several hundred strains of anaerobes with a minimum of effort.

The Judicial Commission is asked to issue an Opinion conserving the specific epithet rhusiopathiae in the species name Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae.

The terms “enterococci,” “fecal streptococci” and “group D streptococci” are discussed and defined. Development of the taxonomy of the fecal streptococci is described. Physiological differences, serology, the chemical basis of serological specificity and some other possible taxonomic approaches are elaborated upon.

Since 1 945, taxonomists have made no less than seven attempts to define the bacteria of the family Chlamydiaceae Rake which includes the etiologic agents of psittacosis, lymphogranuloma venereum, and trachoma. These bacteria are often designated by the vernacular term, PLT group of agents. Classifications were proposed by Moshovsky (1945), Rake (1 948, 1 957), Krasil’nikov (1 949), Zhdanov and Korenblit (1 949), Rhyzkov (1 950), Zhdanov (1953) and Levaditi, Roger and Destombes (1 964). The result was to increase the number of genera for the PLT group culminating in the Levaditi et al. proposal of four genera for this bacterial group: Chlamydia Rake, Miyagawanella Brumpt, Beds onia Meyer, and Rakeia Levaditi, Roger and Destombes. Evidence for continued recognition of these genera was examined in the light of recent knowledge of PLT organisms, and the validity of each name according to the rules of the International Code of Nomenclature of Bacteria and Viruses was ascertained. On the grounds that the taxonomic significance of properties common to bacteria of the PLT group (morphology, developmental cycle and group antigen) outweighed the value of the characteristics that separated the various species or strains (host preferences and specific antigenicity of lipoproteins of the cell wall), it was concluded that all of the species of bacteria of the PLT group properly belonged in a single genus. Therefore, their unification in the genus Chlamydia Jones, Rake and Stearns, 1945, is proposed. The validly published generic name Chlamydia replaces Miyagawanella Brumpt 1 938 which was not validly published and has priority over Bedsonia Meyer (1 9 5 3) and Rakeia Levaditi, Roger and Destombes (1964). Furthermore, the term “virus” is incorrect and misleading when applied to these bacteria.