Streptococcus canis

**Semantic type:** Bacterium

**Definition:** A species of facultatively anaerobic, Gram positive, cocci shaped bacteria in the phylum Firmicutes. This species is positive for Lancefield group G, beta hemolysis, CAMP test, arginine deamination, esculin hydrolysis, alpha and beta galactosidase and growth in 6.5% NaCl and negative for beta glucuronidase, catalase and pyrrolidonylarylamidase. It can ferment maltose, mannose, ribose, salicin and sucrose but not amygdalin, arabinose, inulin, mannitol, melibiose, raffinose, xylose or sorbitol. S. canis is a commensal organism in dogs where it is a pathogen and it can cause opportunistic infections in humans.

**Synonyms:** - STREPTOCOCCUS CANIS - Streptococcus dysgalactiae