title: Streptococcus difficile is a nonhemolytic group B, type Ib Streptococcus.
abstract: Whole-cell protein electrophoretic analysis of the type strain of Streptococcus difficile (LMG 15799) revealed that this organism was indistinguishable from Streptococcus agalactiae strains. Although LMG 15799T (T = type strain) was originally described as serologically untypeable, we found that this strain was a group B streptococcus belonging to the capsular polysaccharide antigen type Ib group. The biochemical reactivity of S. difficile, which differed from the biochemical reactivity of typical S. agalactiae strains mainly by being less versatile, is similar to the biochemical reactivity of other group B, type Ib streptococci isolated from poikilothermic animals, such as fish and frogs.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Microbiology, Faculty of Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Ghent, Belgium. Peter.Vandamme@rug.ac.be
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Vandamme
authors.forename: L A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Devriese
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Pot
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kersters
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Melin
mesh_terms: D000332:Aerobiosis; D000818:Animals; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000032:analysis*; D001431:Bacteriological Techniques; D003470:Culture Media / Q000378:metabolism; D004285:Dogs; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; D005399:Fishes; D010802:Phylogeny; D011135:Polysaccharides, Bacterial / Q000276:immunology; D013291:Streptococcus / Q000737:chemistry / Q000145:classification* / Q000502:physiology; D013292:Streptococcus agalactiae / Q000145:classification; D013696:Temperature
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D003470:Culture Media; D011135:Polysaccharides, Bacterial