M. plutonius is isolated most efficiently by inoculating decimal dilutions of the aqueous suspension into agar that has been maintained
molten at 45 ºC and which is then poured into plates. The plates must be incubated anaerobically, in an atmosphere of approximately
5-10% carbon dioxide (CO2) at 35 ºC. Small white opaque colonies of M. plutonius usually appear within 4 days (OIE manual).
molten at 45 ºC and which is then poured into plates. The plates must be incubated anaerobically, in an atmosphere of approximately
5-10% carbon dioxide (CO2) at 35 ºC. Small white opaque colonies of M. plutonius usually appear within 4 days (OIE manual).
| Melissococcus plutonius |
Taxonomy
Morphology
Cultural characteristics
Biochemical characters
Ecology
Pathogenicity
References
Phylum Bacillota (Firmicutes), Class Bacilli, Order Lactobacillales, Family Enterococcaceae, Genus Melissococcus, Melissococcus
plutonius corrig. (ex White 1912) Bailey and Collins 1983, nom. rev., comb. nov., type species of the genus.
Old synonyms: Streptococcus pluton (White 1912) Gubler 1954, Melissococcus pluton (ex White 1912) Bailey and Collins 1983.
Lancefield group D.
plutonius corrig. (ex White 1912) Bailey and Collins 1983, nom. rev., comb. nov., type species of the genus.
Old synonyms: Streptococcus pluton (White 1912) Gubler 1954, Melissococcus pluton (ex White 1912) Bailey and Collins 1983.
Lancefield group D.
Gram-positive, lanceolate cocci, 0.5-0.7 x 1.0 µm, occuring singly, in pairs, or in chains of varying lengths. Non-motile. Non-spore-
forming. Non-acid-fast.
forming. Non-acid-fast.
Colonies are usually up to 1 mm in diameter, opaque, white or granular, and
dome-shaped. Small, flat, transparent, umbonate colonies with clear centers and
granular peripheries have also been described. Grows on Bailey medium. No growth
on common nutrient media. Apart from yeast extract, the growth medium should
contain a fermentable sugar, starch, peptone, cysteine or cystine, and potassium. The
Na:K ratio required for growth is 1 or less. Optimum growth at 35 ºC, with some
strains growing between 20 and 45 ºC. Optimum pH is 6.5-6.6.
No aerobic growth. Anaerobic to microaerophilic, with best growth in the presence of
1-5% CO2. Higher CO2 levels may inhibit some strains. Growth is greatly stimulated in
the presence of selfprepared autolyzed yeast extract. Nalidixic acid added to a final
concentration of 3 µg/ml, proved very selective for the isolation of M. plutonius. Can
grow on TSA/B with defibrinated sheep blood (ATCC medium 260).
dome-shaped. Small, flat, transparent, umbonate colonies with clear centers and
granular peripheries have also been described. Grows on Bailey medium. No growth
on common nutrient media. Apart from yeast extract, the growth medium should
contain a fermentable sugar, starch, peptone, cysteine or cystine, and potassium. The
Na:K ratio required for growth is 1 or less. Optimum growth at 35 ºC, with some
strains growing between 20 and 45 ºC. Optimum pH is 6.5-6.6.
No aerobic growth. Anaerobic to microaerophilic, with best growth in the presence of
1-5% CO2. Higher CO2 levels may inhibit some strains. Growth is greatly stimulated in
the presence of selfprepared autolyzed yeast extract. Nalidixic acid added to a final
concentration of 3 µg/ml, proved very selective for the isolation of M. plutonius. Can
grow on TSA/B with defibrinated sheep blood (ATCC medium 260).
Isolated from diseased honeybee larvae - Apis mellifera and Apis cerana. Also isolated from the Varroa destructor mite.
Causative agent of European foulbrood of the honeybee. Dead larvae produce an odour of spoiled meat.
- Leon M. T. Dicks AND Wilhelm H. Holzapfel, 2009: Genus II. Melissococcus Bailey and Collins 1983, 672VP in Bergey’s Manual of
Systematic Bacteriology, Second Edition, Volume Three, Vos, P.D.; Garrity, G.; Jones, D.; Krieg, N.R.; Ludwig, W.; Rainey, F.A.;
Schleifer, K.-H.; Whitman, W.B. (Eds.), pp 607-611. - Arai R, Tominaga K, Wu M, Okura M, Ito K, Okamura N, et al. (2012) Diversity of Melissococcus plutonius from Honeybee Larvae in
Japan and Experimental Reproduction of European Foulbrood with Cultured Atypical Isolates. PLoS ONE 7(3): e33708. https://doi.
org/10.1371/journal.pone.0033708. - Popa Al. 1965. Bolile albinelor si viermilor de matase. Ed. Agro-Silvica, Bucuresti.
- BacDive - the Bacterial Diversity Metadatabase. Sohngen C., Bunk B., Podstawka A., Gleim D., Vetcininova A., Reimer L.C.,
Overmann J. Nucleic Acids Res. 2015. doi: 10.1093/nar/gkv983. Epub 2015 Sep 30. PMID: 26424852. - Manual of Diagnostic Tests and Vaccines for Terrestrial Animals OIE 2019.Chapter 3.2.3. European foulbrood of honey bees
(infection of honey bees with Melissococcus plutonius).
Some results are based on API 20 A and API rapid ID 32 Strep.
Positive results for alpha-arabinosidase, L-arginine arylamidase, acid production from: fructose and glucose.
Negative results for arginine dihydrolase, catalase, citrate utilization, esculin hydrolysis, alpha-fucosidase, gelatin hydrolysis,
alpha-galactosidase, alpha- and beta-glucosidase, beta-glucuronidase, N-acetyl-beta-glucosaminidase, indole production, nitrates
reduction, oxidase, phenylalanine arylamidase, proline arylamidase, pyrrolidonyl arylamidase, urease, acid production from:
L-arabinose, D-cellobiose, glycerin, lactose, maltose, mannitol, D-melezitose, D-raffinose, D-rhamnose, salicin, D-sorbitol, sucrose,
D-trehalose and D-xylose. Glucose and fructose are the only sugars usually fermented. Does not coagulate milk.
Variable results for beta-galactosidase, phosphatase and acid production from mannose.
Some strains metabolize sucrose, melezitose, maltose, and salicin.
Positive results for alpha-arabinosidase, L-arginine arylamidase, acid production from: fructose and glucose.
Negative results for arginine dihydrolase, catalase, citrate utilization, esculin hydrolysis, alpha-fucosidase, gelatin hydrolysis,
alpha-galactosidase, alpha- and beta-glucosidase, beta-glucuronidase, N-acetyl-beta-glucosaminidase, indole production, nitrates
reduction, oxidase, phenylalanine arylamidase, proline arylamidase, pyrrolidonyl arylamidase, urease, acid production from:
L-arabinose, D-cellobiose, glycerin, lactose, maltose, mannitol, D-melezitose, D-raffinose, D-rhamnose, salicin, D-sorbitol, sucrose,
D-trehalose and D-xylose. Glucose and fructose are the only sugars usually fermented. Does not coagulate milk.
Variable results for beta-galactosidase, phosphatase and acid production from mannose.
Some strains metabolize sucrose, melezitose, maltose, and salicin.
(c) Costin Stoica
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