title: Biovariants of isolates of Pasteurella from domestic and wild ruminants.
abstract: A total of 608 bacterial isolates previously identified as Pasteurella haemolytica biotypes A and 3, P. trehalosi, and P. multocida, were separated into 73 distinct biovariants using 21 phenotypic characteristics. The largest group (54%) of wildlife isolates was identified as biogroup 2 and biogroup 2 variants. Biogroup 2 and biogroup 2 variants accounted for only 17% of isolates from domestic ruminants and were all from sheep. In contrast, 43% of isolates from domestic ruminants were identified as biogroup 1 and biogroup 1 variants, whereas only 6% of isolates from wildlife were identified in these groups. The majority of biogroup 1 isolates from wild ruminants were from 1 group of bighorn sheep in Arizona that were geographically separated from other wildlife sampled. Similarly, 1 biogroup 2 variant, 2E, was cultured only from free-ranging Dall sheep in Alaska. Twelve percent of domestic isolates and 6% of wildlife isolates were indole positive. The remaining isolates from wildlife (33%) and domestic animals (30%) were distributed among 53 distinct biovariants. None of these individual biovariants represented >4% of the total isolates. Phenotypic characterization was valuable for distinguishing between isolates from different hosts and from different geographic areas and can be used to assist in epidemiologic studies.
authors.affiliation: University of Idaho, Caine Veterinary Teaching and Research Center, Caldwell 83605, USA.
authors.forename: M D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Jaworski
authors.forename: D L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Hunter
authors.forename: A C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Ward
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000829:Animals, Domestic; D000835:Animals, Wild; D002417:Cattle / Q000382:microbiology*; D014644:Genetic Variation; D016978:Mannheimia haemolytica / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D010325:Pasteurella / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D016979:Pasteurella multocida / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D010641:Phenotype; D012418:Ruminants / Q000382:microbiology*; D012703:Serotyping; D012756:Sheep / Q000382:microbiology*