Capnocytophaga canimorsus

Capnocytophaga canimorsus
Scientific classification
Domain:	Bacteria
Phylum:	Bacteroidota
Class:	Flavobacteriia
Order:	Flavobacteriales
Family:	Flavobacteriaceae
Genus:	Capnocytophaga
Species:	C. canimorsus
Binomial name
Capnocytophaga canimorsus Brenner et al. 1989

Capnocytophaga canimorsus is a fastidious, slow-growing, Gram-negative rod of the genus Capnocytophaga.^[1][2] It is a commensal bacterium in the normal gingival microbiota of canine and feline species, but can cause illness in humans. Transmission may occur through bites, licks, or even close proximity with animals.^[3] C. canimorsus generally has low virulence in healthy individuals,^[4] but has been observed to cause severe, even grave, illness in persons with pre-existing conditions.^[5] The pathogenesis of C. canimorsus is still largely unknown, but increased clinical diagnoses have fostered an interest in the bacillus. Treatment with antibiotics is effective in most cases, but the most important yet basic diagnostic tool available to clinicians remains the knowledge of recent exposure to canines or felines.^[3]