Coccobacillus
A coccobacillus (plural coccobacilli) is a type of bacteria with a shape that is intermediate between cocci (spherical bacteria) and bacilli (rod-shaed bacteria).[1] Coccobacilli rods are so short and wide that they resemble cocci. Haemophilus influenzae, Gardnerella vaginalis, former Haemophilus vaginalis and Chlamydia trachomatis are coccobacilli. Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans is a gram-negative coccobacillus that is prevalent in subgingival plaques. Acinetobacter strains may grow on solid media as coccobacilli. Bordetella pertussis is a gram-negative coccobacillus responsible for causing whooping cough.
Coxiella burnetti is also a coccobacillus.[2]
Bacteria from the Brucellae genus are medically important coccobacilli that cause brucellosis.
Haemophilus ducreyi is another medically important gram-negative coccobacillus and is observed in sexually transmitted disease, chancroid, of third-world countries.[3]
References
- ^ "Dorlands Medical Dictionary:coccobacillus".
- ^ "persistent rickettsial disease".
- ^ Schaetchter's Mechanisms of Microbial Disease 4th Edition. ISBN 0-7817-5342-2