PASTEURELLA SEPTICA INFECTIONS IN HUMANS

Five instances of infection by Pasteurella septica, an organism which closely resembles H. influenzae on methods of presumptive bacteriology, are reported from an acute treatment general hospital practice over a period of three months. This infection decidedly outnumbers those caused by other Pasteurella species in North America. The organism is apt to be identified as H. influenzae, Friedlander's bacillus or Mima polymorpha. Unlike these, it shows extreme sensitivity to penicillin, sometimes combined with resistance to antibiotics that inhibit or kill these other organisms.While in the past Pasteurella septica infection was considered to be characterized by persistent local infection following domestic animal scratches or bites, it is clear that it is more often found in cases of respiratory tract infection and peripheral septic disease. In three of the five cases reported, exposure to animals was the source of infection.Because mixed infection with confusingly similar organisms may occur, lack of awareness of extreme penicillin sensitivity of Pasteurella septica may account for persistent failure of antibiotic therapy.

THE ISOLATION OF PARAINFLUENZA 3 VIRUS FROM FATAL CASES OF PNEUMONIA IN ERYTHROCEBUS PATAS MONKEYS

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A NEW PASTEURELLA SPECIES (?) FROM A WOUND INFECTION

A case of appendicitis is described in which the wound was infected with an organism of the genus Pasteurella. The morphological and biochemical properties of the strain are recorded, and comparison is made with other species of the same genus. It is concluded that this strain may be a new species.