Haemophilus characteristica
- Morphologically variable Gram-negative bacilli, ranging from short rods to long filaments
- Oxidase negative
- Depend on beta-nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) and/or Haemin for growth
- Heated blood agar (Chocolate Agar) required for growth of NAD-dependent strains
- Haemin-dependent strains grow on Blood Agar
- Do not grow on MacConkey agar
- Inhabit mucosal epithelium of respiratory and genital tract
Haemophilus parasuis
- Serotype B causes Glasser's disease in pigs
- Glasser's disease
- Due to transport, environmental stresses, dietary and managemental factors
- Acute septicaemia
- Causes a polyserositis - pericarditis, peritonitis, pleurisy and meningitis - in pigs 3-10 weeks old
- Also causes suppurative bronchopneumonia, pleuritis, polyarthritis (also H. suis)
- Expressed lesions vary between animals - meningitis is most consistent, arthritis in 20% of cases
- Sporadic outbreaks in the UK
- Can be fatal in 2-5 days
- Mortality up to 50% insome outbreaks
- Chronic arthritis, meningitis and intestinal obstruction due to adhesions in surviving pigs
- Fibrinous pneumonia secondary to enzootic pneumonia or virus infection
Haemophilus somnus
- Haemophilus sommus in Enzootic pneumonia of calves
- Causes infectious thromboencephalitis in cattle 1-3 years old
- Found in the USA and Europe, including UK
- Causes a meningoencephalitis with fibrinous arterial thrombosis and necrosis
- Causes fever, staggering and dyspnoea, progressing to somnolence, paralysis and death
- Mortality can be high
Haemophilus pleuopneumonia
- H. pleuropneumonia in Contagious porcine pleuropneumonia
Haemophilus paragalinarum
- Conjunctivitis in poultry
Haemophilus influenzae
- Human respiratory disease