Haemophilus influenzae

Rank: Species

Lineage: Bacteria;Proteobacteria;Gammaproteobacteria;Pasteurellales;Pasteurellaceae;Haemophilus;Haemophilus influenzae

Description: This organism was first isolated in the 1890s during an influenza pandemic by Pfeiffer, and was originally thought to be the source of influenza, although later it was shown to be a secondary pathogen and may be synergistic with the influenza virus. This bacterium is one of the leading causes of meningitis in young children, and it may also cause septicemia, otitis media (inflammation of the middle ear), sinusitis (inflammation of the sinus cavity) and chronic bronchitis. It is highly adapted to its human host and typically lives in the nasopharynx and is a major cause of lower respiratory infections in infants and small children in developing countries (type 1b strain), although vaccine use has resulted in the decline of infections. The presence of the type B polysaccharide is important for virulence, as it is the most pathogenic of the 6 major types. The encapsulated organism can penetrate the blood and avoid both phagocytosis and complement-mediated lysis. All known strains produce neuraminidase and an IgA protease as well as fimbrial adhesins for attachment. More >> Less >>

Reference Material:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/genome/?term=Haemophilus%20influenzae

Name	Rank	Genomes	Info
Haemophilus	Genus	13
Haemophilus influenzae	Species	13

Name: Haemophilus

Rank: Genus

Lineage:
Bacteria;Proteobacteria;Gammaproteobacteria;Pasteurellales;Pasteurellaceae;Haemophilus

Description:
Haemophilus is a genus of Gram-negative, pleomorphic, coccobacilli bacteria belonging to the Pasteurellaceae family. While Haemophilus bacteria are typically small coccobacilli, they are categorized as pleomorphic bacteria because of the wide range of shapes they occasionally assume. These organisms inhabit the mucous membranes of the upper respiratory tract, mouth, vagina, and intestinal tract. The genus includes commensal organisms along with some significant pathogenic species such as H. influenzae¨•a cause of sepsis and bacterial meningitis in young children¨•and H. ducreyi, the causative agent of chancroid. All members are either aerobic or facultatively anaerobic. This genus has been found to be part of the salivary microbiome.

Reference Material:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haemophilus