VII. BACTERIA ASSOCIATED WITH COCKROACHES
Reading edition
Classification of the bacteria follows Breed et al. (1948). Synonymy in most cases was taken from the same source. Names of bacteria preceded by the symbol † are either not listed by Breed et al. or are stated by them to be insufficiently characterized for definite classification. Use of asterisk is explained in footnote 3, page 4.
Phylum SCHIZOPHYTA
Class SCHIZOMYCETES
Order EUBACTERIALES
Family PSEUDOMONADACEAE
* Pseudomonas aeruginosa (Schroeter) Migula
Natural vectors.—Blaberus craniifer, U.S.A. (Wedberg et al., 1949).
Blatta orientalis, U.S.A. (Olson and Rueger, 1950).
Blattella germanica, U.S.A. (Olson and Rueger, 1950; Janssen and Wedberg, 1952).
Periplaneta americana, U.S.A. (Bitter and Williams, 1949, 1949a; Olson and Rueger, 1950).
Experimental vectors.—Blattella germanica, U.S.A. (Herms and Nelson, 1913).
Cockroaches, U.S.A. (Longfellow, 1913).
* Pseudomonas eisenbergii Migula
Natural and experimental vectors.—Blatta orientalis, Italy (Cao, 1906).
* Pseudomonas fluorescens Migula
Natural and experimental vectors.—Blatta orientalis, Italy (Cao, 1898, 1906; Spinelli and Reitano, 1932).
Periplaneta americana, U.S.A. (Gier, 1947): The organism was pathogenic to the cockroach when injected.
† Spirillum periplaneticum Kunstler and Gineste
Habitat.—Periplaneta americana, France? (Kunstler and Gineste, 1906): From intestinal tract.
† Spirillum α, β, and γ Dobell
Habitat.—Blatta orientalis, England (Dobell, 1911, 1912): From hind gut.
Spirillum sp.
Habitat.—Blatta orientalis, U.S.S.R. (Zasukhin, 1930): From intestinal tract.
Cockroaches, Venezuela (Tejera, 1926): From digestive tract.
* Vibrio comma (Schroeter) Winslow et al.
Experimental vectors.—Blatta orientalis, Italy (Cao, 1898; Spinelli and Reitano, 1932).
Blattella germanica, Orient (Toda, 1923); Germany (Jettmar, 1927).
Periplaneta americana, Philippine Islands (Barber, 1914); Netherlands (Akkerman, 1933); Formosa (Morischita and Tsuchimochi, 1926).
Periplaneta australasiae, Formosa (Morischita and Tsuchimochi, 1926).
* Vibrio metschnikovii Gamaléia
Experimental vectors.—Blatta orientalis, Italy (Cao, 1898, 1906).
Vibrio tyrogenus (Flügge) Holland
Synonymy.—Vibrio of Deneke.
Experimental vectors.—Blatta orientalis, Italy (Cao, 1898): The organism passed through the intestinal tract unchanged.
† Vibrio Types I and II Heiberg
Habitat.—Water.
Natural vectors.—Cockroaches, India (Pasricha et al., 1938): The vibrios were found in 16 or 17 percent of 94 cockroaches and resembled Vibrio comma in their morphology and their main biochemical reactions; however, serum-agglutination reactions differed.
Vibrio sp.
Habitat.—Blatta orientalis, U.S.A. (Leidy, 1853): From intestine.
Family RHIZOBIACEAE
Chromobacterium violaceum (Schroeter) Bergonzini
Synonymy.—B. violaceus.
Habitat.—Water.
Experimental vectors.—Cockroach, U.S.A. (Longfellow, 1913): Recovered from outer part of body and intestinal tract.
Family MICROCOCCACEAE
* Micrococcus aurantiacus (Schroeter) Cohn
Natural vectors.—Blattella germanica, U.S.A. (Janssen and Wedberg, 1952).
* Micrococcus citreus Migula
Natural vectors.—Cockroaches, U.S.A. (Longfellow, 1913).
Experimental vectors.—Blatta orientalis, Italy (Cao, 1898).
* Micrococcus epidermidis (Winslow and Winslow) Hucker
Natural vectors.—Blattella germanica, U.S.A. (Janssen and Wedberg, 1952).
† Micrococcus nigrofaciens Northrup
Source.—Diseased June beetle larvae.
Experimental infection.—Periplaneta americana, U.S.A. (Northrup, 1914): Three of four adults were infected by feeding them bread saturated with a broth culture of the Micrococcus. After 11 days the tarsi of the cockroaches became infected, and the hind legs split and broke off. Antennae and setae also were affected and micrococci were recovered from the feces.
* Micrococcus pyogenes var. albus (Rosenbach) Schroeter
Natural vectors.—Blaberus craniifer, U.S.A. (Wedberg et al., 1949).
Blatta orientalis, U.S.A. (Tauber, 1940; Tauber and Griffiths, 1942).
Blattella germanica, U.S.A. (Herms and Nelson, 1913; Herms, 1939; Janssen and Wedberg, 1952).
Experimental vectors.—Blatta orientalis, Italy (Cao, 1898); U.S.A. (Tauber and Griffiths, 1942).
Micrococcus pyogenes var. albus (=Staphylococcus albus) and an unidentified short rod form were found by Tauber (1940) in the hemolymph of B. orientalis. These microorganisms were never found together in the same insect and caused loss of appetite, sluggishness, irregular respiratory movements, and paralysis in the cockroach; in the final stages of the disease the legs were folded under the body, the head was tucked beneath the forelegs, the whole insect became arched and maintained this position until death. In some cockroaches infected with the rod pathogen, conjunctival folds, particularly those between the dorsal abdominal sclerites, and the joints of the metathoracic legs ruptured liberating thick white hemolymph filled with bacteria. Tauber suggested that the infection might be spread by contact, especially to newly molted individuals or by actual ingestion of the bacteria by the cockroaches feeding on dead or dying individuals. All the roaches died after successful inoculation with the Micrococcus. The bacterial infection was associated with high total hemocyte counts and high percentages of mitotically dividing hemolymph cells (Tauber, 1940); these responses of the insect were interpreted as a mechanism whereby the number of hemocytes increases resulting in an increase in the number of phagocytes for combating the bacteria (Tauber and Griffiths, 1942).
* Micrococcus pyogenes var. aureus (Rosenbach) Zopf
Natural vectors.—Blaberus craniifer, U.S.A. (Wedberg et al., 1949).
Blatta orientalis, Italy (Cao, 1906).
Blattella germanica, U.S.A. (Herms, 1939).
Cockroaches, U.S.A. (Longfellow, 1913).
Micrococcus ureae Cohn
Habitat.—Stale urine and soil containing urine.
Natural vectors.—Blattella germanica, U.S.A. (Janssen and Wedberg, 1952): From intestinal tract and feces.
* Micrococcus spp.
These organisms were obtained from pus or were designated as staphylococci [i.e., pathogenic micrococci (Blair in Dubos, 1948)].
Natural vectors.—Blatta orientalis, Italy (Spinelli and Reitano, 1932); Germany (Jettmar, 1935).
Blattella germanica, Germany (Jettmar, 1935).
Experimental vectors.—Blattella germanica, on shipboard (Morrell, 1911); Germany (Vollbrechtshausen, 1953).
Micrococcus sp.
Natural vectors.—Periplaneta americana? ("Blatella americana"), England (Shrewsbury and Barson, 1948): From intestinal tract.
† Sarcina alba Zimmermann
Habitat.—Water.
Natural and experimental vectors.—Blatta orientalis, Italy (Cao 1898, 1906): From intestinal contents.
Sarcina aurantiaca Flügge
Habitat.—Air and water.
Experimental vectors.—Blatta orientalis, Italy (Cao, 1906): Intestinal contents.
Sarcina lutea Schroeter
Habitat.—Air, soil, water, skin surfaces.
Experimental vectors.—Blatta orientalis, Italy (Cao, 1906): From intestinal contents.
† Sarcina symbiotica Pribram
Habitat.—Oöthecae of Blatta orientalis and/or Blattella germanica, Germany (Gropengiesser, 1925): It was described as "eine gelbe Sarcina"; Pribram (1933) named the organism.
Sarcina ventriculi Goodsir
Habitat.—Garden soil, dust, mud; isolated from a diseased stomach.
Natural vectors.—Blatta orientalis, Poland (Nicewicz et al., 1946): From intestinal tract.
Sarcina sp.
Natural and experimental vectors.—Periplaneta americana, U.S.A. (Gier, 1947): Organism not pathogenic to the cockroach when injected.
† Sarcina sp.
Synonymy.—Sarcina "blanche" of Sartory and Clerc.
Natural vectors.—Blatta orientalis, France (Sartory and Clerc, 1908): Isolated from intestinal tract.
*† Sarcina sp.
Synonymy.—Sarcina alba "patogena" of Cao.
Natural vectors.—Blatta orientalis, Italy (Cao, 1898, 1906).
*† Sarcina sp.
Synonymy.—Sarcina "bianca" and "gialla" of Cao.
Experimental vectors.—Blatta orientalis, Italy (Cao, 1898).
Family NEISSERIACEAE
* Neisseria meningitidis (Albrecht and Ghon) Holland
Experimental vectors.—Cockroaches, U.S.A. (Longfellow, 1913).
* Veillonella parvula (Veillon and Zuber) Prévot
Natural vectors.—Periplaneta americana, U.S.A. (Hatcher, 1939).
Family LACTOBACTERIACEAE
* Diplococcus pneumoniae Weichselbaum
Experimental vectors.—Blatta orientalis, Italy (Cao, 1898).
Cockroaches, U.S.A. (Longfellow, 1913).
† Enterococcus sp.
Natural vectors.—Blatta orientalis, Italy (Spinelli and Reitano, 1932): From intestinal tract.
Lactobacillus fermenti Beijerinck
Habitat.—Fermenting plant or animal products.
Natural vectors.—Blatta orientalis, Poland (Nicewicz et al., 1946): From intestinal canal.
† Pneumococcus Type I, No. 1231
Experimental vectors.—Blattella germanica, Germany (Vollbrechtshausen, 1953).
* Streptococcus faecalis Andrewes and Horder
Natural vectors.—Blatta orientalis, Poland (Nicewicz et al., 1946).
Blattella germanica, U.S.A. (Steinhaus, 1941).
Periplaneta americana? ("Blatella americana"), England (Shrewsbury and Barson, 1948).
Cockroaches [presumably any or all of the above three species], Egypt (El-Kholy and Gohar, 1945).
* Streptococcus liquefaciens Sternberg emend. Orla-Jensen
Natural vectors.—Blatta orientalis, Poland (Nicewicz et al., 1946).
*† Streptococcus microapoika Cooper, Keller, and Johnson
Natural vectors.—Blatta orientalis, Poland (Nicewicz et al., 1946).
*† Streptococcus non-hemolyticus II Holman
Natural vectors.—Periplaneta americana? ("Blatella americana"), England (Shrewsbury and Barson, 1948).
* Streptococcus pyogenes Rosenbach
Natural vectors.—Blatta orientalis, Italy (Cao, 1906).
Experimental vectors.—Cockroaches, U.S.A. (Longfellow, 1913).
* Streptococcus sp. (pyogenic group)
Experimental vectors.—Blatta orientalis, Germany (Jettmar, 1935).
* Streptococcus sp. (viridans group)
Experimental vectors.—Blatta orientalis, Germany (Jettmar, 1935).
* Streptococcus spp.
Natural vectors.—Blatta orientalis, Germany (Jettmar, 1935).
Blattella germanica, Germany (Jettmar, 1935); U.S.A. (Janssen and Wedberg, 1952).
Cockroaches, U.S.A. (Longfellow, 1913).
Experimental vectors.—Blatta orientalis, Italy (Cao, 1898).
Family CORYNEBACTERIACEAE
* Corynebacterium diphtheriae (Flügge) Lehmann and Neumann
Experimental vectors.—Blatta orientalis, Italy (Cao, 1898).
Cockroaches, U.S.A. (Longfellow, 1913).
Family ACHROMOBACTERIACEAE
† Achromobacter hyalinum (Jordan) Bergey et al.
Natural vectors.—Periplaneta americana, U.S.A. (Hatcher, 1939): Isolated from feces.
Achromobacter sp.
Natural vectors.—Blattella germanica, U.S.A. (Janssen and Wedberg, 1952).
Alcaligenes faecalis Castellani and Chalmers
Synonymy.—Bacillus faecalis alkaligenes; Bacillus alcaligenes faecalis; B. alcaligenes faecalis.
Habitat.—Intestinal canal of man. Has been isolated from feces, abscesses related to intestinal canal, and occasionally in the bloodstream. However, it is generally considered nonpathogenic.
Natural vectors.—Blaberus craniifer, U.S.A. (Wedberg et al., 1949): Isolated from feces.
Blatta orientalis, Poland (Nicewicz et al., 1946): Isolated from intestinal tract.
Blattella germanica, U.S.A. (Janssen and Wedberg, 1952): From intestinal tract and feces.
Periplaneta americana, U.S.A. (Bitter and Williams, 1949): Isolated from intestinal tract.
Cockroaches [presumably Blatta orientalis, Blattella germanica and/or Periplaneta americana], Egypt (El-Kholy and Gohar, 1945): From suspensions of macerated whole insects.
Alcaligenes recti (Ford) Bergey et al.
Synonymy.—B. alcaligenes recti.
Habitat.—Intestinal canal.
Natural vectors.—Blatta orientalis, Poland (Nicewicz et al., 1946): Isolated from intestinal tract.
Alcaligenes viscosus (Weldin and Levine) Weldin
Habitat.—Water, dairy utensils; produces ropiness in milk.
Natural vectors.—Blattella germanica, U.S.A. (Janssen and Wedberg, 1952): Isolated from intestine and feces.
Family ENTEROBACTERIACEAE
Aerobacter aerogenes (Kruse) Beijerinck
Synonymy.—Bacillus lactis aerogenes.
Habitat.—Grains, plants, intestinal tract of man and other animals.
Natural vectors.—Blaberus craniifer, U.S.A. (Wedberg et al., 1949): Isolated from feces.
Blatta orientalis, Poland (Nicewicz et al., 1946): Isolated from intestinal tract.
Blattella germanica, on shipboard (Morrell, 1911): Isolated from feces.
Periplaneta americana, U.S.A. (Bitter and Williams, 1949): Isolated from intestinal tract.
Cockroaches [presumably Blatta orientalis, Blattella germanica and/or Periplaneta americana], Egypt (El-Kholy and Gohar, 1945): Isolated from outer surface of body, intestinal tract, and suspensions of macerated whole insects.
Aerobacter cloacae (Jordan) Bergey et al.
Synonymy.—Bacillus cloacae.
Habitat.—Sewage, soil, water, human and other animal feces.
Natural vectors.—Blattella germanica, on shipboard (Morrell, 1911): From feces. U.S.A. (Janssen and Wedberg, 1952; Steinhaus, 1941): From intestinal tract, feces, and oötheca.
Periplaneta americana, U.S.A. (Bitter and Williams, 1949): From intestinal tract.
Aerobacter sp.
Natural vectors.—Periplaneta americana, U.S.A. (Bitter and Williams, 1949): Isolated from intestines.
† Eberthella oedematiens Assis
Habitat.—Intestinal canal.
Natural vectors.—Periplaneta americana, U.S.A. (Bitter and Williams, 1949): Intestinal tract.
* Escherichia coli (Migula) Castellani and Chalmers
Natural vectors.—Blatta orientalis, Italy (Cao 1898, 1906; Spinelli and Reitano, 1932); France (Sartory and Clerc, 1908); Europe (Jettmar, 1935); Poland (Nicewicz et al., 1946).
Blattella germanica, U.S.A. (Steinhaus, 1941).
Periplaneta americana, U.S.A. (Bitter and Williams, 1949, 1949a).
Cockroaches [presumably one or all of the above three species], Egypt (El-Kholy and Gohar, 1945).
Cockroaches, U.S.A. (Longfellow, 1913).
Experimental vectors.—Blattella germanica, Germany (Vollbrechtshausen, 1953): When injected anally or orally the bacteria invaded the intestinal cells and in heavy infections killed the cockroaches.
Escherichia coli var. acidilactici (Topley and Wilson) Yale
Synonymy.—Bacillus acidi lactici.
Source.—Diseased nun moth larvae.
Experimental vectors.—Blatta orientalis, Europe (Filatoff, 1904): Organism pathogenic to cockroach when injected but not when fed.
Escherichia coli var. communior (Topley and Wilson) Yale
Natural vectors.—Blaberus craniifer, U.S.A. (Wedberg et al., 1949): From feces.
Escherichia freundii (Braak) Yale
Habitat.—Soil, water, intestinal canal of man and other animals.
Natural vectors.—Blaberus craniifer, U.S.A. (Wedberg et al., 1949): From feces.
Blattella germanica, U.S.A. (Janssen and Wedberg, 1952): From intestinal canal and feces.
Periplaneta americana, U.S.A. (Bitter and Williams, 1949): From intestinal tract.
Escherichia intermedium (Werkman and Gillen) Vaughn and Levine
Habitat.—Soil, water, intestinal canal of man and other animals.
Natural vectors.—Periplaneta americana, U.S.A. (Bitter and Williams, 1949): From intestinal canal.
* Klebsiella pneumoniae (Schroeter) Trevisan
Experimental vectors.—Blatta orientalis, Italy (Cao, 1898).
* Paracolobactrum aerogenoides Borman, Stuart and Wheeler
Natural vectors.—Blattella germanica, U.S.A. (Janssen and Wedberg, 1952).
Periplaneta americana, U.S.A. (Bitter and Williams, 1949).
* Paracolobactrum coliforme Borman, Stuart and Wheeler
Natural vectors.—Blattella germanica, U.S.A. (Janssen and Wedberg, 1952).
Periplaneta americana, U.S.A. (Bitter and Williams, 1949).
* Paracolobactrum spp.
Natural vectors.—Blatta orientalis, U.S.A. (Olson and Rueger, 1950).
Blattella germanica, U.S.A. (Olson and Rueger, 1950).
Periplaneta americana, U.S.A. (Bitter and Williams, 1949; Olson and Rueger, 1950).
* Paracolon bacilli
Natural vectors.—Cockroaches [presumably Blatta orientalis, Blattella germanica and/or Periplaneta americana], Egypt (El-Kholy and Gohar, 1945).
* Proteus mirabilis Hauser
Natural vectors.—Periplaneta americana, U.S.A. (Bitter and Williams, 1949, 1949a).
* Proteus morganii (Winslow et al.) Rauss
Natural vectors.—Periplaneta americana, U.S.A. (Bitter and Williams, 1949, 1949a).
Cockroaches [presumably Blatta orientalis, Blattella germanica, and/or Periplaneta americana], Egypt (El-Kholy and Gohar, 1945).
* Proteus rettgeri (Hadley et al.) Rustigian and Stuart
Natural vectors.—Periplaneta americana, U.S.A. (Bitter and Williams, 1949).
* Proteus vulgaris Hauser
Natural vectors.—Blaberus craniifer, U.S.A. (Wedberg et al., 1949).
Blatta orientalis, Italy (Spinelli and Reitano, 1932).
Periplaneta americana, U.S.A. (Bitter and Williams, 1949, 1949a).
Cockroaches, U.S.A. (Longfellow, 1913).
* Proteus spp.
Natural vectors.—Blatta orientalis, U.S.A. (Olson and Rueger, 1950).
Periplaneta americana, U.S.A. (Bitter and Williams, 1949; Olson and Rueger, 1950).
* Salmonella anatis (Rettger and Scoville) Bergey et al.
Natural vectors.—Periplaneta americana, U.S.A. (Eads et al., 1954).
* Salmonella choleraesuis (Smith) Weldin
Experimental vectors.—Polyphaga saussurei, U.S.S.R. (Zmeev in Pavlovskii, 1948).
* Salmonella enteritidis (Gaertner) Castellani and Chalmers
Experimental vectors.—Blatta orientalis, U.S.S.R. (Rozengolts and I͡udina in Pavlovskii, 1948).
Blattella germanica, U.S.A. (Olson and Rueger, 1950); U.S.S.R. (Rozengolts and I͡udina in Pavlovskii, 1948).
Polyphaga saussurei, U.S.S.R. (Zmeev in Pavlovskii, 1948).
* Salmonella morbificans (Migula) Haupt
Natural vectors.—Periplaneta americana, Australia (Mackerras and Mackerras, 1948, 1949).
Experimental vectors.—Nauphoeta cinerea, Periplaneta australasiae, Periplaneta ignota, and Supella supellectilium, Australia (Mackerras and Pope, 1948).
* Salmonella paratyphi (Kayser) Castellani and Chalmers
Experimental vectors.—Polyphaga saussurei, U.S.S.R. (Zmeev in Pavlovskii, 1948).
* Salmonella schottmuelleri (Winslow et al.) Bergey et al.
Natural vectors.—Periplaneta americana, U.S.A. (Bitter and Williams, 1949, 1949a).
Experimental vectors.—Periplaneta americana, Gold Coast Colony (Macfie, 1922).
Polyphaga saussurei, U.S.S.R. (Zmeev in Pavlovskii, 1948).
* Salmonella sp. (Type Adelaidae)
Experimental vectors.—Nauphoeta cinerea, Periplaneta australasiae, Periplaneta ignota, and Supella supellectilium, Australia (Mackerras and Pope, 1948).
* Salmonella sp. (Type Bareilly)
Natural vectors.—Periplaneta americana, U.S.A. (Eads et al., 1954).
* Salmonella sp. (Type Bredeny)
Natural vectors.—Periplaneta americana, U.S.A. (Bitter and Williams, 1949, 1949a).
* Salmonella sp. (Type Derby)
Experimental vectors.—Nauphoeta cinerea, Periplaneta australasiae, and Supella supellectilium, Australia (Mackerras and Pope, 1948).
* Salmonella sp. (Type Kentucky)
Natural vectors.—Periplaneta americana, U.S.A. (Eads et al., 1954).
* Salmonella sp. (Type Kottbus)
Experimental vectors.—Periplaneta australasiae, Australia (Mackerras and Pope, 1948).
* Salmonella sp. (Type Meleagris)
Natural vectors.—Periplaneta americana, U.S.A. (Eads et al., 1954).
* Salmonella sp. (Type Montevideo)
Experimental vectors.—Periplaneta americana, U.S.A. (Jung and Shaffer, 1952).
* Salmonella sp. (Type Newport)
Natural vectors.—Periplaneta americana, U.S.A. (Eads et al., 1954).
* Salmonella sp. (Type Oranienburg)
Natural vectors.—Periplaneta americana, U.S.A. (Bitter and Williams, 1949, 1949a; Eads et al., 1954).
Experimental vectors.—Blatta orientalis, Blattella germanica, and Periplaneta americana, U.S.A. (Olson and Rueger, 1950).
* Salmonella sp. (Type Panama)
Natural vectors.—Periplaneta americana, U.S.A. (Eads et al., 1954).
* Salmonella sp. (Type Rubislaw)
Natural vectors.—Periplaneta americana, U.S.A. (Eads et al., 1954).
* Salmonella sp. (Type Tennessee)
Natural vectors.—Periplaneta americana, U.S.A. (Eads et al., 1954).
* Salmonella typhimurium (Loeffler) Castellani and Chalmers
Natural vectors.—Blattella germanica, Belgium (Graffar and Mertens, 1950).
Nauphoeta cinerea, Australia (Mackerras and Mackerras, 1948).
Experimental vectors.—Blaberus craniifer, U.S.A. (Wedberg et al., 1949).
Blatta orientalis, U.S.S.R. (Rozengolts and I͡udina in Pavlovskii, 1948).
Blattella germanica, Belgium (Graffar and Mertens, 1950); U.S.A. (Olson and Rueger, 1950; Janssen and Wedberg, 1952; Beck and Coffee, 1943); U.S.S.R. (Rozengolts and I͡udina in Pavlovskii, 1948).
Nauphoeta cinerea, Australia (Mackerras and Pope, 1948).
Periplaneta americana, U.S.A. (Beck and Coffee, 1943; Jung and Shaffer, 1952).
Periplaneta australasiae and Supella supellectilium, Australia (Mackerras and Pope, 1948).
Polyphaga saussurei, U.S.S.R. (Zmeev in Pavlovskii, 1948).
* Salmonella typhosa (Zopf) White
Natural vectors.—Blatta orientalis, Italy (Antonelli, 1930, 1943).
Experimental vectors.—Blaberus craniifer, U.S.A. (Wedberg et al., 1949).
Blatta orientalis, Italy (Spinelli and Reitano, 1932); U.S.A. (McBurney and Davis, 1930); U.S.S.R. (Rozengolts and I͡udina in Pavlovskii, 1948).
Blattella germanica, U.S.A. (Janssen and Wedberg, 1952); Germany (Jettmar, 1927); U.S.S.R. (Rozengolts and I͡udina in Pavlovskii, 1948).
Periplaneta americana, Gold Coast Colony (Macfie, 1922); Netherlands (Akkerman, 1933); Formosa (Morischita and Tsuchimochi, 1926); U.S.A. (Olson in Roth and Willis, 1957a).
Periplaneta australasiae, Formosa (Morischita and Tsuchimochi, 1926).
Polyphaga saussurei, U.S.S.R. (Zmeev in Pavlovskii, 1948).
Cockroaches [presumably Blatta orientalis, Blattella germanica, and/or Periplaneta americana], Egypt (El-Kholy and Gohar, 1945).
Serratia marcescens Bizio
Synonymy.—Bacillus prodigiosus, Bacterium prodigiosum.
Habitat.—Water, soil, milk, foods, and various insects.
Natural hosts.—Blatta orientalis, Poland (Nicewicz et al., 1946): From intestinal tract. Italy (Spinelli and Reitano, 1932).
Blattella germanica, Canada (Heimpel and West, 1959).
Diploptera punctata, Nauphoeta cinerea, Neostylopyga rhombifolia, Panchlora nivea, Pycnoscelus surinamensis, and Supella supellectilium, U.S.A. (Roth and Willis, unpublished data, 1958): The organism was isolated and identified by Dr. Hillel Levinson, Quartermaster bacteriologist, from dead specimens found in our laboratory colonies which showed the red coloration characteristic of insects that have died with infections of S. marcescens (pl. 16, A, B).
Leucophaea maderae, U.S.A. (Levinson, personal communication, 1958): The organism was isolated from the hemolymph of living insects while attempting to determine the cause of unexplained mortality in our laboratory colony of this insect.
Leucophaea maderae or Periplaneta americana, Philippine Islands (Barber, 1912): From hemolymph.
Periplaneta americana, U.S.A. (Gier, 1947; Steinhaus, 1959).
Periplaneta australasiae and Periplaneta brunnea (Roth and Willis, unpublished data [1954]): In laboratory colonies. Isolated from suspensions of ground insects. In 1954 we received a culture of Periplaneta brunnea from the Department of Public Health, University of Minnesota. These insects began to die off rapidly and the normally lightly pigmented parts of the body became red. Dr. Hillel Levinson, Quartermaster bacteriologist, cultured Serratia marcescens from several moribund individuals. The Department of Public Health of Minnesota had at times in the past cultured S. marcescens but had discarded the cultures and was unaware that it might be surviving in the cockroach colonies (Richards, personal communication, 1954).
Periplaneta sp., U.S.A. (Olson in Roth and Willis, 1957a): Isolated from an undetermined species of Periplaneta, received in a shipment from the South, a strain of S. marcescens which was toxic to mice when administered intraperitoneally.
Experimental hosts.—Blaberus craniifer, U.S.A. (Wedberg et al., 1949): When fed in small numbers, S. marcescens increased to such an extent that the insect's extremities and upper halves of their bodies turned deep red. The insects died after this color appeared and practically pure cultures of Serratia were recovered from the reddened areas.
Blatta orientalis, Italy (Cao, 1898): Isolated from intestinal contents. Passed unchanged through the gut.
Blattella germanica, Canada (Heimpel and West, 1959): Not normally pathogenic per os; LD50 by injection, is approximately 38,000 bacteria per insect.
Periplaneta americana, U.S.A. (Gier, 1947): Organism toxic to the cockroach when injected.
Cockroaches, U.S.A. (Longfellow, 1913): Isolated from legs and viscera after feeding experiments.
* Shigella alkalescens (Andrewes) Weldin
Natural vectors.—Periplaneta americana, U.S.A. (Bitter and Williams, 1949, 1949a).
* Shigella dysenteriae (Shiga) Castellani and Chalmers
Experimental vectors.—Blatta orientalis, Italy (Spinelli and Reitano, 1932).
Periplaneta americana, Formosa (Morischita and Tsuchimochi, 1926).
Polyphaga saussurei, U.S.S.R. (Zmeev in Pavlovskii, 1948).
* Shigella paradysenteriae (Collins) Weldin
Natural vectors.—Blatta lateralis, Tadzhikistan (Zmeev, 1940).
Experimental vectors.—Periplaneta americana, Gold Coast Colony (Macfie, 1922).
Polyphaga saussurei, U.S.S.R. (Zmeev in Pavlovskii, 1948).
Cockroaches, Venezuela (Tejera, 1926).
Family PARVOBACTERIACEAE
Bacteroides uncatus Eggerth and Gagnon
Habitat.—Probably intestinal canal of mammals; from human feces.
Natural vectors.—Blatta orientalis, Poland (Nicewicz et al., 1946): From intestinal canal.
* Brucella abortus (Schmidt and Weis) Meyer and Shaw
Experimental vectors.—Periplaneta americana, U.S.A. (Ruhland and Huddleson, 1941).
Fusiformis lophomonadis Grassé
Habitat.—Surface of a flagellate (Lophomonas striata) which lives in the intestine of cockroaches (Breed et al., 1948; Grassé 1926, 1926a).
* Malleomyces mallei (Zopf) Pribram
Experimental vectors.—Blatta orientalis, Italy (Cao, 1898).
* Pasteurella multocida (Lehmann and Neumann) Rosenbusch and Merchant
Experimental vectors.—Blatta orientalis, Germany (Küster, 1902, 1903); Italy (Cao, 1906).
* Pasteurella pestis (Lehmann and Neumann) Holland
Natural vectors.—Blatta orientalis, Hongkong (Hunter, 1906).
Experimental vectors.—Blatta orientalis, Italy (Cao, 1898); Germany (Küster, 1903).
Blattella germanica, Germany (Jettmar, 1927).
Leucophaea maderae and Periplaneta americana, Philippine Islands (Barber, 1912).
Family BACTERIACEAE
† Bacterium alkaligenes Nyberg
Natural vectors.—Periplaneta americana? ("Blatella americana"), England (Shrewsbury and Barson, 1948): From intestinal tract.
† Bacterium delendae-muscae Roubaud and Descazeaux
Source.—Diseased fly larvae.
Experimental infection.—Cockroach, France (Roubaud and Descazeaux, 1923): Organism pathogenic to cockroach when injected.
Bacterium haemophosphoreum Pfeiffer and Stammer
Habitat.—Diseased larvae of Mamestra oleracea.
Experimental infection.—Blatta orientalis and Blattella germanica, Germany (Pfeiffer and Stammer, 1931): Organism pathogenic, when injected, to eight B. orientalis and two B. germanica.
Coccobacillus cajae Picard and Blanc
Experimental host.—Blatta orientalis, France (Picard and Blanc, 1913): The organism was pathogenic to B. orientalis when injected.
Family BACILLACEAE
* Bacillus anthracis Cohen emend. Koch
Experimental vectors.—Blatta orientalis, Italy (Cao, 1898, 1906); Germany (Küster, 1903).
† Bacillus bütschlii Schaudinn
Habitat.—Blatta orientalis, Germany (Schaudinn, 1902): Isolated from intestinal tract. Three percent of the cockroaches from Berlin bakeries were infected.
Bacillus cereus Frankland and Frankland
Synonymy.—Bacillus albolactis.
Habitat.—Soil, dust, milk, plants.
Natural vectors.—Blaberus craniifer, U.S.A. (Wedberg et al., 1949): From feces.
Periplaneta americana, U.S.A. (Hatcher, 1939): In feces.
Experimental host.—Periplaneta americana, U.S.A. (Babers, 1938): The cockroaches died within 96 hours after being injected with 10-3 ml. of a 24-hour broth culture.
Bacillus circulans Jordan
Habitat.—Soil, water, dust.
Natural vectors.—Blattella germanica, U.S.A. (Janssen and Wedberg, 1952): From intestine and feces.
† Bacillus flacheriae (Hoffman)
Source.—Diseased nun moth larvae.
Experimental infection.—Blatta orientalis, Europe (Filatoff, 1904): The organism was not pathogenic when fed to the cockroach, but killed the insects when injected into the body cavity; after the insects died Filatoff reisolated this pathogen together with another bacillus from the cadavers. He succeeded in culturing the new microorganism and found it to be pathogenic when injected into, but not when fed to, the cockroaches. The diseased insects became sluggish, failed to eat or drink, turned over on their backs, their extremities became totally paralyzed, and they finally died.
Bacillus megaterium De Bary
Habitat.—Soil, water, decomposing materials.
Natural vectors.—Periplaneta americana? ("Blatella americana"), England (Shrewsbury and Barson, 1948): From intestinal tract.
Experimental vectors.—Blatta orientalis, Italy (Cao, 1898): Organism recovered, apparently unchanged, from intestinal contents.
† Bacillus monachae (von Tubeuf) Eckstein
Synonymy.—Bacterium monache.
Source.—Diseased larvae of nun moth, Lymantria monacha.
Experimental infection.—Blatta orientalis, Europe (Filatoff, 1904): Organism pathogenic to the cockroach when injected but not when fed.
† Bacillus periplanetae Tichomiroff
Habitat.—Blatta orientalis, U.S.S.R.? (Tichomiroff, 1870[?], in Filatoff, 1904): The infected insects suffered from a diarrhea and the liquid feces were yellow-brown.
† Bacillus stellatus Hollande
Natural infection.—Blatta orientalis, France (Hollande, 1934): Organism observed regularly in the intestine (especially rectum). Extensive description given.
† Bacillus radiciformis
Experimental vectors.—Blatta orientalis, Italy (Cao 1898): Organism recovered, apparently unchanged, from intestinal contents.
* Bacillus subtilis Cohn emend. Prazmowski
Natural vectors.—Blaberus craniifer, U.S.A. (Wedberg et al., 1949).
Blatta orientalis, Italy (Cao, 1898, 1906; Spinelli and Reitano, 1932); France (Sartory and Clerc, 1908); Poland (Nicewicz et al., 1946).
Cryptocercus punctulatus, U.S.A. (Hatcher, 1939).
Periplaneta americana? ("Blatella americana"), England (Shrewsbury and Barson, 1948).
Cockroaches, U.S.A. (Longfellow, 1913).
Experimental vectors.—Blatta orientalis, Italy (Cao, 1898, 1906).
"Bacillus subtilis group"
Natural infection.—Blatta orientalis, Italy (Ronzoni, 1949): Isolated from oöthecae.
† Bacillus tritus Batchelor
Habitat.—Isolated from feces (man?).
Natural vectors.—Blatta orientalis, Poland (Nicewicz et al., 1946): Isolated from intestinal tract.
* Clostridium feseri Trevisan
Experimental vectors.—Blatta orientalis, Italy (Cao, 1898).
Clostridium lentoputrescens Hartsell and Rettger
Habitat.—Soil, intestinal tract of man.
Natural vectors.—Blatta orientalis, Poland (Nicewicz et al., 1946): Isolated from intestinal tract.
* Clostridium novyi (Migula) Bergey et al. or
* Clostridium sporogenes (Metchnikoff) Bergey et al.
Natural and experimental vectors.—Blatta orientalis, Italy (Cao, 1898).
* Clostridium perfringens (Veillon and Zuber) Holland
Natural vectors.—Cockroaches [presumably Blatta orientalis, Blattella germanica, and/or Periplaneta americana], Egypt (El-Kholy and Gohar, 1945).
* Clostridium tetani (Flügge) Holland
Experimental vectors.—Blatta orientalis, Italy (Cao, 1898).
* Clostridium spp.
Natural vectors.—Periplaneta americana? ("Blatella americana"), England (Shrewsbury and Barson, 1948).
Order ACTINOMYCETALES
Family MYCOBACTERIACEAE
* Mycobacterium avium Chester
Experimental vectors.—Blatta orientalis, U.S.S.R. (Ekzempliarskaia in Pavlovskii, 1948).
Mycobacterium friedmannii Holland
Habitat.—Parasitic in turtles and possibly sparingly distributed in soils.
Natural vectors.—Periplaneta americana, U.S.A., Texas (Micks, in Roth and Willis, 1957a): Organism isolated from batches of intestinal tracts of cockroaches collected at random.
* Mycobacterium lacticola Lehmann and Neumann?
Natural vectors.—Periplaneta americana, U.S.A. (Leibovitz, 1951).
* Mycobacterium leprae (Armauer-Hansen) Lehmann and Neumann
Natural vectors.—Blattella germanica, Southern Rhodesia and Kenya (Moiser, 1945, 1946, 1946a; Anonymous, 1946).
Periplaneta americana and Periplaneta australasiae, Formosa (Arizumi, 1934, 1934a).
Cockroaches, Venezuela (Tejera, 1926); Belgian Congo (Radna, 1939).
Experimental vectors.—Blatta orientalis, Europe (Paldrock in Klingmüller, 1930); Nyasaland (Lamborn, 1940).
Blattella germanica, Europe (Paldrock in Klingmüller, 1930); Southern Rhodesia and Kenya (Moiser, 1945, 1946, 1946a, 1947; Anonymous, 1946).
Nauphoeta cinerea, Nyasaland (Lamborn, 1940).
Periplaneta americana, Gold Coast Colony (Macfie, 1922); Formosa (Arizumi, 1934, 1934a).
Periplaneta australasiae, Formosa (Arizumi, 1934, 1934a).
Cockroaches, Belgian Congo (Radna, 1939); Venezuela (Tejera, 1926).
* Mycobacterium lepraemurium Marchoux and Sorel
Experimental vectors.—Cockroaches, Belgian Congo (Radna, 1939).
* Mycobacterium phlei Lehmann and Neumann
Natural vectors.—Periplaneta americana, U.S.A. (Leibovitz, 1951; Micks in Roth and Willis, 1957a).
* Mycobacterium piscium Bergey et al.
Natural vectors.—Periplaneta americana, U.S.A. (Leibovitz, 1951).
Experimental vectors.—Blatta orientalis, U.S.S.R. (Ekzempliarskaia in Pavlovskii, 1948).
* Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Schroeter) Lehmann and Neumann
Experimental vectors.—Blatta orientalis, Italy (Cao, 1898); Germany (Küster, 1903); U.S.S.R. (Ekzempliarskaia in Pavlovskii, 1948).
Blattella germanica, on shipboard (Morrell, 1911).
Periplaneta americana, Gold Coast Colony (Macfie, 1922).
Cockroaches, Venezuela (Tejera, 1926); U.S.A. (Read, 1933).
* Mycobacterium spp.
Natural vectors.—Periplaneta americana, U.S.A. (Leibovitz, 1951; Micks in Roth and Willis, 1957a).
Family ACTINOMYCETACEAE
* Nocardia sp.?
Natural vectors.—Periplaneta americana, U.S.A. (Leibovitz, 1951).
Family STREPTOMYCETACEAE
Streptomyces leidynematis Hoffman
Habitat.—Surface of the nematodes Hammerschmidtiella diesingi and Leidynema appendiculata in Periplaneta americana, U.S.A. (Hoffman, 1952, 1953): Eighteen percent of 192 nematodes found in 52 adult cockroaches were infected with the bacterium.
Order CARYOPHANALES
Family ARTHROMITACEAE
Arthromitus intestinalis (Valentin) Peshkoff
Synonymy.—Hygrocrocis intestinalis.
Habitat.—Blatta orientalis, Europe (Valentin, 1836; Robin, 1847, 1853; Peshkoff, 1940): Isolated from intestinal tract. The organism appears as fragments in fecal masses or as fibers adhering to the mucous membrane of the large intestine (Robin, 1853).
Cockroach, France? (Chatton and Pérard, 1913).
Order SPIROCHAETALES
Family SPIROCHAETACEAE
† Spirochaeta blattae Tejera
Habitat.—Blaberus atropos, Venezuela (Tejera, 1926): Isolated from intestinal tract.
* † Spirochaeta periplanetae Laveran and Franchini
Habitat.—Blatta orientalis, France (Laveran and Franchini, 1920a).
Cockroaches, Venezuela (Tejera, 1926): Tejera reported finding "Spirochaeta blatarum Laveran et Franchini" which may have been a lapsus.
Family TREPONEMATACEAE
† Treponema parvum Dobell
Habitat.—Blatta orientalis, England (Dobell, 1912); U.S.S.R.? Zasukhin (1930): From intestinal tract.
† Treponema stylopygae Dobell
Synonymy.—Spirochaeta stylopygae Zuelzer.
Habitat.—Blatta orientalis, England (Dobell, 1912); U.S.S.R.? Zasukhin (1930): From intestinal tract.
Unidentified spirochaetes
Habitat.—Blatta orientalis, U.S.S.R. (Yakimov and Miller, 1922): Spirochaetes and spirilla were found in the intestines of 70 percent of 124 specimens collected in Petrograd.
Periplaneta americana, Gold Coast Colony (Macfie, 1922).
ADDITIONAL BACTERIA WHOSE TAXONOMIC POSITION IS UNKNOWN
* "B. aerobio del pseudoedema maligno" of Cao
Natural vectors.—Blatta orientalis, Italy (Cao, 1906).
B. alcaligenes beckeri
Natural vectors.—Blatta orientalis, Poland (Nicewicz et al., 1946): Isolated from intestinal tract.
* "B. del pseudoedema maligno" of Cao
Natural vectors.—Blatta orientalis, Italy (Cao, 1906).
* "Bacillo proteisimile>" of Cao
Natural and experimental vectors.—Blatta orientalis, Italy (Cao, 1898, 1906).
* "Bacillo del barbone dei bufali" of Cao
Experimental vectors.—Blatta orientalis, Italy (Cao, 1898).
* "Bacillo similcarbonchio" of Cao
Natural and experimental vectors.—Blatta orientalis, Italy (Cao, 1898, 1906).
* "Bacillo similtifo" or "Bacillo tifosimile" of Cao
Natural and experimental vectors.—Blatta orientalis, Italy (Cao, 1898, 1906).
">Bacillus"
Natural infection.—Blatta orientalis, Germany (Heinecke, 1956): Disease organism found in the hemolymph of infected cockroaches. It can be spread by mouth and through wound infection. The animals died with symptoms of paralysis in 85-90 days. The organism has been isolated and is in the culture collection of the Institute for Microbiology and Experimental Therapy, Jena, under the numbers SG 896, Strain A; SG 897, Strain B; SG 898, Strain C.
Experimental infection.—Blattella germanica, Germany (Heinecke, 1956): Infected animals died in 26-30 days.
Periplaneta americana was unaffected even by heavy inoculations of the pathogen.
"Bacterium"
Source.—(I) Diseased silkworm larvae. (II) Diseased Ocneria dispar larvae and blood of Blatta orientalis.
Experimental infection.—(I)(II) Blatta orientalis, Europe (Filatoff, 1904): Organism pathogenic when injected, nonpathogenic when ingested.
(I) Cockroach, U.S.A. (Glaser, 1925): Organism pathogenic to cockroach when injected.
"Coccobacillus"
Natural infection.—Blatta orientalis, France (Hollande, 1934): Organism described morphologically.
"Colon bacilli"
Natural vectors.—Cockroaches [presumably Blatta orientalis, Blattella germanica, and/or Periplaneta americana], Egypt (El-Kholy and Gohar, 1945): From the outer surface, intestinal tract, and suspensions of macerated insects.
"Diplococci"
Natural vectors.—Blatta orientalis, Germany (Jettmar, 1935): From intestinal tract.
Blattella germanica, Germany (Jettmar, 1935): From outer surface of body.
"Diphtheroid I and II"
Source.—Periplaneta americana.
Natural and experimental infections.—Periplaneta americana, U.S.A. (Gier, 1947): Pathogenicity to the cockroach variable when organism injected.
"Gram positive rods"
Source.—Feces of Blattella germanica.
Experimental vector.—Blattella germanica, Germany (Vollbrechtshausen, 1953): Nonpathogenic to the insect when injected into the mouth or anus.
"Silkworm disease bacillus"
Cockroaches that were inoculated with living cultures succumbed in a few days (Glaser, 1925).
† Spirillochaeta blattae Hollande
Habitat.—Blatta orientalis, France (Hollande, 1934; Hollande and Hollande, 1946): Organism found in hind intestine. This spirillum was stated to be related in external morphology to Spirillum periplaneticum Kunstler and Gineste, but it was believed that S. blattae should be in the Spirochaetaceae rather than the Spirillaceae.
"Spirochaetoid bacteria"
Habitat.—Blatta orientalis, France (Hollande, 1934): Two kinds described but not named.
† Tetragenous sp.
Natural and experimental infections.—Periplaneta americana, U.S.A. (Gier, 1947): Pathogenicity to the cockroach variable when organism injected.