Abstract
R Heller, P Riegel, Y Hansmann, G Delacour, D Bermond, C Dehio, F Lamarque, H Monteil, B Chomel and Y Piemont
Institut de Bacteriologie de la Faculte de Medecine, Universite Louis- Pasteur, Hopitaux Universitaires de Strasbourg, France. yves.piemont@medecine.u-strasbg.fr
Two Bartonella strains from blood of two wild rats (Rattus norvegicus) living in a rural environment were isolated. These strains were distinct from all previously known Bartonella species based on phenotypic and genotypic characteristics. This new species is distinguished by its trypsin-like activity, the absence of the ability to hydrolyse proline and tributyrin, its 16S rRNA and citrate synthase gene sequences and by whole-DNA hybridization data. This new species, for which the name Bartonella tribocorum sp. nov. is proposed, seems to be genetically related to Bartonella elizabethae, an agent isolated in a case of human endocarditis. The type strain of Bartonella tribocorum sp. nov. is IBS 506T (CIP 105476T).