Further Studies of the Relationships Among Strains Classified as Taxon 15, Taxon 18, Taxon 20, (Pasteurella) granulomatis or the (Pasteurella) haemolytica-complex in Ruminants Using Quantitative Evaluation of Phenotypic Data

Abstract

Ninety-three trehalose-negative (P.) haemolytica-like strains of ruminant, porcine and leprine origin were investigated. A quantitative evaluation of phenotypic tests was used and the results obtained were compared with those from 246 previously investigated ruminant strains. Cluster analysis of the results obtained displayed most of the taxa as distinct groups which could be related to differences in key characters. Although only minor phenotypic differences were observed between the taxa investigated and the taxa were internally heterogeneous for many of the tests, it was possible to identify characters separating most groups. However, in three instances, taxa isolated from different species could not be separated by any of the tests used or by quantitative evaluation of all 79 tests--the only difference being the species of animals from which they had been isolated. Taxa which could not be separated by phenotypic tests included the ruminant biogroup 6 of (P.) haemolytica and the porcine taxon 15/biovar 1, the ruminant biogroup 7 of (P.) haemolytica and the porcine taxon 15/biovar 2, and ruminant biogroup 31 of (P.) haemolytica and the leprine taxon 20/biovar 1.