''Gemella morbillorum'' is a species of

bacteria Bacteria (; : bacterium) are ubiquitous, mostly free-living organisms often consisting of one Cell (biology), biological cell. They constitute a large domain (biology), domain of Prokaryote, prokaryotic microorganisms. Typically a few micr ...

within the genus '' Gemella''. It is a facultative anaerobic

Gram positive In bacteriology, gram-positive bacteria are bacteria that give a positive result in the Gram stain test, which is traditionally used to quickly classify bacteria into two broad categories according to their type of cell wall. The Gram stain i ...

coccus Bacterial cellular morphologies are the shapes that are characteristic of various types of bacteria and often key to their identification. Their direct examination under a light microscope enables the classification of these bacteria (and archaea ...

usually preferring capnophilic or microaerophilic environments. From its discovery in 1917 (by R. Tunnicliff) until 1988, it was known as ''Streptococcus morbillorum'' (and briefly as ''Peptostreptococcus morbillorum'' ). The name change followed closer examination with DNA filter hybridization (by Kilpper-Balz and Schleifer) which found it was very close to the species '' Gemella haemolysans''.

Pathogenicity

''Gemella morbillorum'' is rarely a cause of disease in humans, though it may be found benignly in the

oropharyngeal The pharynx (: pharynges) is the part of the throat behind the mouth and nasal cavity, and above the esophagus and trachea (the tubes going down to the stomach and the lungs respectively). It is found in vertebrates and invertebrates, though its ...

area. Infections, when found, are similar to ''viridans

Streptococci ''Streptococcus'' is a genus of gram-positive spherical bacteria that belongs to the family Streptococcaceae, within the order Lactobacillales (lactic acid bacteria), in the phylum Bacillota. Cell division in streptococci occurs along a sing ...

'' in range. Cases have been reported of endovascular infections (predominantly

endocarditis Endocarditis is an inflammation of the inner layer of the heart, the endocardium. It usually involves the heart valves. Other structures that may be involved include the interventricular septum, the chordae tendineae, the mural endocardium, o ...

) and also acute invasive infections. It has also been reported as among the most common bacteria present in teeth with cysts that do not resolve after repeated root canal treatments. A report of a human infection involving ''G. morbillorum'' in an Indian child was reported in 1999. Strains of this species are commonly resistant to

penicillin Penicillins (P, PCN or PEN) are a group of beta-lactam antibiotic, β-lactam antibiotics originally obtained from ''Penicillium'' Mold (fungus), moulds, principally ''Penicillium chrysogenum, P. chrysogenum'' and ''Penicillium rubens, P. ru ...

. Bacteremia with ''G. morbillorum'', among other bacteria, has been associated with

colorectal cancer Colorectal cancer (CRC), also known as bowel cancer, colon cancer, or rectal cancer, is the development of cancer from the Colon (anatomy), colon or rectum (parts of the large intestine). Signs and symptoms may include Lower gastrointestinal ...

References

External links

Type strain of ''Gemella morbillorum'' at Bac''Dive'' - the Bacterial Diversity Metadatabase
Bacillales {{bacilli-stub