Isolation and characterization of group EF-4 bacteria from various lesions in cat, dog and badger

Bacteria of Group EF-4 were isolated from local purulent lesions in 7 dogs and in 5 cats, from pneumonic lungs in 2 additional cats and from internal organs in a badger. Results of characterization were compared with those of a human strain of Group EF-4a isolated from an infected dog-bite wound. Lungs of 2 necropsied cats showed a severe focal necrotizing pneumonia in the various lobes. Organs of the badger were typical for a case of septicemia. The organisms were isolated mostly in pure culture. Colonies were up to 1.5 mm in size, round, entire, more or less yellowish pigmented and non hemolytic. Culture smelled slightly like popcorn. In conventional biochemical tests, 12 isolates as well as the human strain were shown to belong to Group EF-4a and the 3 remaining strains to EF-4b. Belonging to Group EF-4 was confirmed by assimilation tests with the gallery ATB 32 GN of BioMerieux. However some differences to other reports were observed when compared with results obtained with similar methods. Results of this study seem to indicate that bacteria of Group EF-4 are important in veterinary medicine not only from an epidemiological but also from an etiological point of view.