ISOLATION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF BORDETELLA PARAPERTUSSIS-LIKE BACTERIA FROM OVINE LUNGS

Bacteria resembling two Bordetella species were isolated from both nor mal and pneumonic ovine lungs using a selective charcoal agar. Twenty- eight of the 33 isolates showed similarities to stock NCTC B. parapert ussis strains in their SDS-PAGE gel protein profiles, in their biochem ical reactions and in causing browning on tyrosine agar. Five isolates behaved similarly to stock B. bronchiseptica strains, in being active ly motile, in giving identical positive reactions in three out of four biochemical tests and in causing no colour change in tyrosine agar. M ultilocus enzyme electrophoresis separated the isolates into two elect rophoretic types distinguishable from those of stock B. parapertussis and stock B. bronchiseptica strains.