Rodentibacter gen. nov. is proposed based on isolation and phenotypic characterization of strains, predominantly from rodents. The strains showed 86 % or higher rpoB gene sequence similarity and indicated a genus-level relationship within Pasteurellaceae. The strains compared at 16S rRNA gene sequence level showed 93.8 % or higher similarity, and their genus-level relationship within Pasteurellaceae was confirmed by phenotypic analysis. The type species Rodentibacter pneumotropicus comb. nov. is reclassified from [Pasteurella] pneumotropica with type strain NCTC 8141T (=CCUG 12398T). Whole genomic comparison allowed the estimation of DNA-DNA renaturation. Rodentibacter heylii sp. nov. was proposed for a group that included the biovar Heyl of [Pasteurella] pneumotropica with the type strain ATCC 12555T (=CCUG 998T). A group was proposed as Rodentibacter ratti sp. nov., which included the taxon 22 of Bisgaard; the type strain is F75T (=CCUG 69665T=DSM 103977T). Taxon 41 of Bisgaard was proposed as Rodentibacter myodis sp. nov. with type strain Ac151T (=CCUG 69666T=DSM 103994T). Rodentibacter heidelbergensis sp. nov. included the type strain 1996025094T (=Ac69T) (=CCUG 69667T=DSM 103978T). A group strains of was proposed as Rodentibacter trehalosifermentans sp. nov. with type strain H1987082031T (=CCUG 69668T=DSM 104075T). Two strains including the reference strain of taxon 17 of Bisgaard that showed 16S rRNA gene similarity of 97.3 % were proposed as Rodentibacter rarus sp. nov. 2325/79T (=CCUG 17206T=DSM 103980T). Rodentibacter mrazii sp. nov. was proposed with type strain Ppn418T (Bisgaard taxon 21) (=CCUG 69669T=DSM 103979T). The eight species could be separated based on phenotypic characteristics such as NAD requirement, ornithine decarboxylase and indole formation, α-glucosidase, β-galactosidase and in acid formation from (+)-l-arabinose, (-)-d-ribose, (+)-d-xylose, myo-inositol, (-)-d-mannitol, lactose, melibiose and trehalose. Forty-six strains including taxon 48 of Bisgaard formed a monophyletic group by rpoB and 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis, but could not be separated phenotypically from R. pneumotropicus and R. heylii, and it was left as an unnamed genomospecies 1 of Rodentibacter with reference strain Ppn416. Another taxon that included 13 strains, mainly isolated from Apodemus sylvaticus, could not be separated phenotypically from R. pneumotropicus or R. heylii and was designated as genomospecies 2. Strain Ppn85 with 95 % or less rpoB gene sequence similarity and with 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity of 97 % or less to the other members of Rodentibacter was left as an unnamed singleton.

The aim of this study was to document the pathogenic role of biovar Heyl of [ Pasteurella] pneumotropica in mouse colonies. Fifty-three isolates associated with mastitis and orbital, cutaneous and vaginal abscesses as well as isolates from the nose and vagina of healthy mice were investigated. According to phenotypic characteristics and rpoB sequencing, the isolates were identified as [ P.] pneumotropica biovar Heyl. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) revealed five closely related profiles separated by only one to four fragments. The outbreak strains diverged from epidemiologically unrelated strains with the same rpoB sequence type, as shown by the PFGE profiles. The investigation documented that members of biovar Heyl of [ P.] pneumotropica caused disease outbreaks in mouse colonies since the clonality indicated a primary role of [ P.] pneumotropica biovar Heyl in the infections observed.

A total of 29 strains mainly from guinea pigs were investigated by a polyphasic approach that included previously published data. The strains were classified as Bisgaard taxa 5 and 7 by comparison of phenotypic characteristics and the strains showed typical cultural characteristics for members of family Pasteurellaceae and the strains formed two monophyletic groups based on 16S rRNA gene sequence comparison. Partial rpoB sequence analysis as well as published data on DNA-DNA hybridization showed high genotypic relationships within both groups. A new genus with one species, Caviibacterium pharyngocola gen. nov., sp. nov., is proposed to accommodate members of taxon 5 of Bisgaard, whereas members of taxon 7 are proposed as Conservatibacter flavescens gen. nov., sp. nov. The two genera are clearly separated by phenotype from each other and from existing genera of the family Pasteurellaceae. The type strain of Caviibacterium pharyngocola is 7.3 (=CCUG 16493=DSM 105478) and the type strain of Conservatibacter flavescens is 7.4 (=CCUG 24852=DSM 105479=HIM 794-7), both were isolated from the pharynx of guinea pigs.

Spotty liver disease (SLD) is a bacterial disease of chicken, causing mortalities and reduction in egg production, hence, contributing to economic loss in the poultry industry. The causative agent of SLD has only recently been identified as a novel Campylobacter species, Campylobacter hepaticus. Specific primers were designed from the hsp60 gene of Campylobacter hepaticus and PCR followed by high-resolution melt curve analysis was optimised to detect and differentiate three species of Campylobacter (Campylobacter coli, Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter hepaticus). The three Campylobacter species produced a distinct curve profile and was differentiated using HRM curve analysis. The potential of the PCR-HRM curve analysis was shown in the genotyping of 37 Campylobacter isolates from clinical specimens from poultry farms. PCR-HRM curve analysis of DNA extracts from bile samples or cultures from bile samples, were identified as Campylobacter hepaticus and confirmed by DNA sequencing. The DNA sequence analysis of selected samples from each of the three HRM distinctive curves patterns showed that each DNA sequence was associated with a unique melt profile. The potential of the PCR-HRM curve analysis in genotyping of Campylobacter species was also evaluated using faecal specimens from 100 wild birds. The results presented in this study indicate that PCR followed by HRM curve analysis provides a rapid and robust technique for genotyping of Campylobacter species using either bacterial cultures or clinical specimens.

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