Bibersteinia trehalosi

Bibersteinia trehalosi is a species of Gram-negative bacteria in the family Pasteurellaceae. Originally described as Pasteurella trehalosi by Sneath & Stevens in 1990, it was reclassified into the newly created genus Bibersteinia in 2007 based on phylogenetic and biochemical studies.

Etymology

The genus name Bibersteinia honors Ernst Ludwig Biberstein, a noted German veterinarian. The species epithet trehalosi refers to the ability of this bacterium to ferment the sugar trehalose, a distinguishing biochemical trait.

Characteristics

Bibersteinia trehalosi exhibits the following features:

Gram-negative
Rod-shaped or coccobacillary morphology
Facultatively anaerobic
Non-motile
Oxidase- and catalase-positive
Produces acid from trehalose

Colonies grown on blood agar are small, greyish, smooth, and non-haemolytic or weakly haemolytic.

Habitat and clinical significance

Bibersteinia trehalosi is primarily associated with respiratory and systemic diseases in ruminants, particularly sheep and cattle. It is commonly isolated in cases of pneumonia, septicemia, and sudden death in lambs and calves.

Importance in veterinary medicine

Due to its pathogenic potential, Bibersteinia trehalosi is significant in veterinary microbiology, particularly in livestock management. It is involved in outbreaks of respiratory disease and septicemia, which have economic importance in animal husbandry.