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Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences

Veterinary bacteriology: information about important bacteria
Veterinary bacteriology


Species/Subspecies: Staphylococcus pseudintermedius
Category: Causes hemolysis
Etymology: Genus name: bunch of grape-like cocci (coccus means a grain or berry)
Species epithet: refers to the similarity with S. intermedius.
Significance:  [Very important]   
Taxonomy:
Phylum
Bacillota
Class
Bacilli
Order
Bacillales
Family
Staphylococcaceae 
Genus
Staphylococcus
Type Strain: LMG 22219 = CCUG 49543
Macromorphology (smell):
   
Small round, greyish white, opaque colonies (1-2 mm in diameter) with smoth margin. Does often give a double hemolysis zone on blood agar [clear (complete) narrow inner zone and a broad turbid (patial) outer zone].

The complete hemolysis of Staphylococcus spp. is caused by an α-hemolysin and the partial hemolysis by a β-hemolysin. Cf. Streptococcus spp.

Micromorphology:
 
Cocci (0.5-1.5 µm in diameter), arranged in groups
Gram +/Gram -:G+
Metabolism: Facultatively anaerobic
Catalase/Oxidase:+/-
Other Enzymes: Coagulase +, DNase +, esculinase - and urease +
Biochemical Tests: Voges-Proskauer +
Fermentation of carbohydrates:

  
D-glucose
+
lactose
+
maltose
+
L-rhamnose
-
sucrose
+
L-arabinose
-
cellobiose
-
D-mannitol
w
salicin
-
trehalose
+
glycerol
w
inulin
-
raffinose
-
D-sorbitol
-
starch
-
Comments: Maltose is, however, negative or possible weakly positive under aerobic conditions on agar plates (see Fig. 135:5).
Other carbohydrates: D-xylose -.
Spec. Char.:
Special Media:
Staphylococcus pseudintermedius  Staphylococcus pseudintermedius  
S. pseudintermedius is a lactose fermenter, which can easily be seen on both purple agar och CLED agar.
Disease:
HostsDiseaseClinical picture
Dog, catDermatitis, otitis, woundinfection and mastitisOpportunist, included in the normal skin flora of dogs. The most common cause of skin and wound infection in dogs, less common in cats
Dog, catUrinary tract infections and endometritisPoluri and polydipsi
Other animal species incl humansSkin and wound infectionsRelatively uncommon in animal species other than dogs and cats
Genome Sequence:
Acc-noStrainSize (bp)Genome
CP002478 ED99 2 572 216 1c + 1c 
At least two strains have been sequenced. Plasmids have not been reported.

16S rRNA Seq.:
Acc-noStrainNumber of NTOperonSequence similarity
AJ780976 (T) 1512 100% 

Taxonomy/phylogeny:
 
About 70 species and subspecies have been described within the genus Staphylococcus. S. pseudintermedius is closely related to S. intermedius, S. delphini and S. schleiferi.
Comment:S. pseudintermedius is coagulase-positive and can, therefore, be confused with primarely S. intermedius, but also with S. aureus. Purple agar with maltose is used for differentiation of S. aureus and S. pseudintermedius (see above).
Reference(s): No. 56
Updated:2023-03-08

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