CHARACTERIZATION OF NEISSERIA-ELONGATA SUBSP GLYCOLYTICA ISOLATES OBTAINED FROM HUMAN WOUND SPECIMENS AND BLOOD CULTURES

Four slightly yellow-pigmented, alpha-hemolytic, gram-negative coccoba cilli, three from wound specimens and one from multiple blood cultures of a patient with endocarditis, were identified as Neisseria elongata subsp. glycolgtica on the basis of their overall biochemical and gene tic similarities to this subspecies, These strains resembled N. elonga ta in their guanine-plus-cytosine contents (55.6 to 57.1 mol%) and in their overall cellular fatty acid profiles, which are characterized by large amounts of 16:0, 16:1 omega 7c, and 18:l omega 7c fatty acids, Their identities were confirmed by species-level DNA relatedness (hydr oxyapatite method) to the type strains of all three N. elongata subspe cies, The biochemical profiles and cultural characteristics of these s trains resembled those of the type strain of N. elongata subsp. glycol ytica except for the production of a weak yellow growth pigment and al pha-hemolysis on sheep blood agar, They differed from N. elongata subs p, elongata by the production of catalase, by the production of alpha- hemolysis on sheep blood agar, and by acid production from D-glucose, They differed from N. elongata subsp, nitroreducens by the production of catalase and an inability to reduce nitrate, These studies suggest a pathogenic potential for N. elongata subsp, glycolytica, usually con sidered to be a transient colonizer in humans.