Pasteurella avium (Hinz and Kunjara 1977) comb. nov. and Pasteurella volantium sp. nov.

Abstract

A deoxyribonucleic acid-deoxyribonucleic acid hybridization study (spectrophotometric method) showed that the species Haemophilus avium Hinz and Kunjara 1977 is composed of three deoxyribonucleic acid homology groups; these three groups are genetically closer to Pasteurella multocida, the type species of the genus Pasteurella, than to Haemophilus influenzae, the type species of the genus Haemophilus. We propose to transfer the species Haemophilus avium to the genus Pasteurella as Pasteurella avium comb. nov. (type strain, ATCC 29546) and to change the circumscription of this taxon to include only strains that are unable to ferment L-arabinose, maltose, and mannitol and unable to hydrolyze o-nitrophenyl-β-D-galactopyranoside. The name Pasteurella volantium sp. nov. (type strain, NCTC 3438) is proposed for strains (formerly identified as H. avium) that are unable to ferment L-arabinose and are able to ferment maltose and mannitol and to hydrolyze o-nitrophenyl-β-D-galactopyranoside. A third unnamed species consists of former H. avium strains that are able to ferment L-arabinose.