Pasteurellaceae [pas′′-tər-ə-lā′-sē-ī]

Abstract

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A novel member of the family Pasteurellaceae, Emayella augustorita, was introduced in the August 2024 issue of Emerging Infectious Diseases, by Meyer and colleagues of Limoges, France. Isolated from a patient in France, the bacterium is a new member of the family Pasteurellaceae, named in honor of Louis Pasteur (Figure). Pasteur was deemed by medical historian Robert P. Gaynes to be the “most notable nonphysician in the history of medicine.” His name is most recognized for the eponymous pasteurization process, but he is also lauded in Linnaean taxonomy with the family name Pasteurellaceae, formally accepted in 1981. The designation was conceived to accommodate a collection of gram-negative organisms currently representing 34 genera and 105 species, described as “specialized commensals, primarily and potential pathogens of vertebrates–mainly mammals and birds.”

The constituent bacteria of this family have a propensity to inhabit the mucosal membrane of the mouth, respiratory, and genital tracts. The species Haemophilus influenzae and Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitamitans are well-known Pasteurellaceae that contribute to human illness. Of note, the Pasteurellaceae family is polyphyletic, and the taxonomy of some of the species is in need of further study.