''Leptotrichiaceae'' is a
family
Family (from ) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). It forms the basis for social order. Ideally, families offer predictabili ...
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 ...
in the order
Fusobacteriales. The family includes several genera, such as ''
Leptotrichia'', ''
Streptobacillus'', ''
Sneathia'', ''
Caviibacter'', ''
Oceanivirga'', ''
Sebaldella'', ''
Pseudoleptotrichia'', and ''
Pseudostreptobacillus''. Bacteria in this family are
gram-negative
Gram-negative bacteria are bacteria that, unlike gram-positive bacteria, do not retain the crystal violet stain used in the Gram staining method of bacterial differentiation. Their defining characteristic is that their cell envelope consists ...
, typically
anaerobic
Anaerobic means "living, active, occurring, or existing in the absence of free oxygen", as opposed to aerobic which means "living, active, or occurring only in the presence of oxygen." Anaerobic may also refer to:
*Adhesive#Anaerobic, Anaerobic ad ...
, and inhabit diverse environments, including the mucous membranes of humans and animals, as well as ocean sediments. While some species are part of the normal microbial flora, others can act as opportunistic pathogens, causing infections in immunocompromised individuals.
Characteristics
Members of ''Leptotrichiaceae'' are gram-negative, rod-shaped bacteria that are non-motile and non-spore-forming. They are predominantly anaerobic or facultatively anaerobic, thriving in low-oxygen environments, and exhibit fermentative metabolism, producing organic acids from carbohydrates. Many species are fastidious, requiring enriched media such as blood or serum for growth. These bacteria are commonly isolated from the oral cavity, gastrointestinal tract, and urogenital system of mammals, as well as from marine habitats.
Genera
The family ''Leptotrichiaceae'' encompasses the following genera:
* ''
Leptotrichia'' – Found in the oral cavity and other mucous membranes; some species are implicated in infections in neutropenic patients.
* ''
Streptobacillus'' – Includes ''Streptobacillus moniliformis'', the causative agent of streptobacillary rat-bite fever, a zoonotic disease.
* ''
Sneathia'' – Associated with the female urogenital tract and linked to conditions like bacterial vaginosis.
* ''
Caviibacter'' – Isolated from clinical specimens, including abscesses in animals.
* ''
Oceanivirga'' – Found in marine environments, including ocean sediments and fish.
* ''
Sebaldella'' – A genus found in the human oral and gastrointestinal microbiota, occasionally acting as an opportunistic pathogen in immunocompromised individuals.
* ''
Pseudoleptotrichia'' – A recently identified genus contributing to the phylogenetic diversity of ''Leptotrichiaceae''.
* ''
Pseudostreptobacillus'' – Another newly recognized genus within the family, distinct from ''Streptobacillus''.
See also
*
Fusobacteria
*
Oral microbiology
Oral microbiology is the study of the microorganisms (microbiota) of the oral cavity and their interactions between oral microorganisms or with the host. The environment present in the human mouth is suited to the growth of characteristic micro ...
*
Zoonotic diseases
A zoonosis (; plural zoonoses) or zoonotic disease is an infectious disease of humans caused by a pathogen (an infectious agent, such as a virus
A virus is a submicroscopic infectious agent that replicates only inside the living Cell (b ...
References
{{Taxonbar, from=Q26700320
Fusobacteriota
Bacteria families