UREAPLASMA-CANIGENITALIUM SP-NOV, ISOLATED FROM DOGS

Ureaplasma strains isolated from dogs (Canis familiaris) were characte rized and compared with the type strains of five previously described species of the genus Ureaplasma, Ureaplasma urealyticum (isolated from humans), Ureaplasma diversum (isolated from cattle), Ureaplasma gallo rale (isolated from chickens), Ureaplasma cati (isolated from cats), a nd Ureaplasma felinum (isolated from cats). The canine strains hydroly zed urea but not arginine or glucose, were membrane bound, lacked a ce ll wall, passed through 450-nm-pore-size membrane filters, required ch olesterol for growth, and formed minute colonies (diameter, 20 to 140 mum) on agar medium. These canine ureaplasma strains have been reporte d to be members of four serovars. The four serovars of canine strains fell into a single group on the basis of their genomic properties, as determined by DNA-DNA hybridization. On the basis of these findings, w e propose that ureaplasmas with these characteristics belong to a new species, Ureaplasma canigenitalium, with strain D6P-C (= ATCC 51252) a s the type strain.