Pasteurella multocida (P. multocida) (P. multocida)

Pasteurella multocida is a Gram-negative, non-motile, penicillin-sensitive coccobacillus that belongs to the Pasteurellaceae family (StatPearls, 2023). It is a common commensal of the upper respiratory tract of many animals but can cause severe opportunistic infections such as fowl cholera in poultry, hemorrhagic septicemia in cattle, and atrophic rhinitis in swine (NCBI, 2022). In humans, it is a significant zoonotic pathogen, typically transmitted through animal bites or scratches, leading to rapid-onset skin and soft tissue infections (PubMed, 2015). The bacterium's pathogenicity is largely attributed to its polysaccharide capsule and the Pasteurella multocida toxin (PMT), which acts as a potent mitogenic factor by constitutively activating heterotrimeric G proteins of the Gq, G12/13, and Gi families (PubMed, 2005). Although it is not a single molecular target, it is the biological focus of various antimicrobial therapies, including beta-lactams and fluoroquinolones. The emergence of multi-drug resistant strains, particularly in livestock, remains a significant therapeutic challenge and safety concern (Microbiology Society, 2020).

Other names

Bollingera multocidaBacterium multocidumSepticemia hemorrhagica bacteriumPasteurella septicaPasteurella cholerae-gallinarum

Antibacterial agents targeting this organism function by inhibiting cell wall synthesis (beta-lactams), disrupting protein synthesis at the 30S or 50S ribosomal subunits (tetracyclines, macrolides), or inhibiting DNA gyrase and topoisomerase IV to prevent DNA replication (fluoroquinolones).