Peptostreptococcus

A genus of nonmotile, anaerobic, chemoorganotrophic bacteria (family Peptococcaceae) containing spherical to ovoid, Gram-positive cells that occur in pairs and short or long chains. These organisms are found in normal and pathologic female genital tracts and blood in puerperal fever, in respiratory and intestinal tracts of normal humans and other animals, in the oral cavity, and in pyogenic infections, putrefactive war wounds, and appendicitis; they may be pathogenic. The type species is P. anaerobius. [G. pepto, to digest, + streptos, curved, + kokkos, berry]

- P. anaerobius a bacterial species found in the mouth, intestinal and respiratory tracts, and cavities, especially the vagina, of humans and other animals; it may be pathogenic; it is the type species of the genus P..

- P. asaccharolyticus a bacterial species found in the human large intestine, buccal cavity, pleura, uterus, and vagina; also found in cases of puerperal fever; characterized by its inability to metabolize sugars.

- P. evolutus a bacterial species found in the human respiratory tract, mouth, and vagina.

- P. foetidus a bacterial species found in abscesses, blood, the intestinal tract, vagina, and mouth of humans and other animals; it is sometimes fatal.

- P. intermedius SYN: Streptococcus intermedius.

- P. magnus a bacterial species found in putrefying butcher's meat and in a case of appendicitis.

- P. micros a bacterial species found in natural cavities of humans and other animals; it has been isolated from various pathologic conditions.

- P. morbillorum a bacterial species found in the nose, throat, eyes, ears, mucous secretions, and blood in cases of measles, being irrelevant, however, to the etiology of measles; probably present normally, developing as a secondary invader. SYN: Streptococcus morbillorum.

- P. paleopneumoniae a bacterial species found in the buccal pharyngeal cavity and the upper respiratory tract of humans.

- P. parvulus former name for Atopobium parvulus.

- P. plagarumbelli a bacterial species commonly found in septic war wounds.

- P. productus former name for Ruminococcus productus.

- P. putridus a bacterial species found in the human mouth and intestinal tract but especially in the vagina.

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Pep·to·strep·to·coc·cus (pep″to-strep″to-kokґəs) [Gr. pepton digestion + streptos twisted + kokkos berry] a genus of gram-positive bacteria of the family Peptostreptococcaceae, consisting of obligately anaerobic, chemo-organotrophic, nonmotile cocci and coccobacilli. All species except for the type species P. anaeroґbius have been assigned to other genera.