The species richness of zoo and wild animals is reflected in the diversity of infectious agents they harbor. However, our knowledge is sparse and pathogen detection remains challenging. For streptococci, a bacterial family of importance to human and animal health, wildlife research has taken a step forward: A research team led by Kristin Mühldorfer from the Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research (Leibniz-IZW) and Tobias Eisenberg from the Hessian State Laboratory investigated the causes of severe respiratory disease in peccaries and taxonomically characterized a novel Streptococcus species (Streptococcus catagoni sp. nov.) based on its phenotypic properties and genetic features. The results, published in the International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology, contribute to a better understanding and reliable identification of this novel bacterial species.
Click here for original story, First scientific description of a previously unknown Streptococcus species of Chacoan peccaries
Source: Phys.org