Streptococcus iniae sp. nov., a Beta-Hemolytic Streptococcus Isolated from an Amazon Freshwater Dolphin, Inia geoffrensis

Evidence is presented for the recognition of a new species of Streptococcus isolated from abscess foci in an Amazon freshwater dolphin, Inia geoffrensis. The organism appears to be immunologically distinct from members of the recognized Lancefield groups of streptococci. Antigens prepared by five different extraction procedures do not react with antisera to Streptococcus groups A to U, whereas antisera prepared against the new isolate react well with the extracted homologous antigens but not with antigens from groups A to U. Based on cultural, morphological, biochemical, and serological results, it is suggested that this isolate belongs to a new species for which we propose the name Streptococcus iniae. The type strain of this new species is strain PW (=ATCC 29178).