Name: Capnocytophaga canimorsus Brenner et al. 1990

Category: Species

Proposed as: sp. nov.

Etymology: ca.ni.mor’sus. L. gen. masc./fem. n. canis, dog; L. gen. masc. n. morsus, a bite, biting; N.L. gen. masc. n. canimorsus, of a dog bite

Pronunciation, gender: ka-ni-MOR-sus, feminine

Type strain: 7120; ATCC 35979; CIP 103936; DSM 19204; NCTC 12242

See detailed strain information at

Conduct genome-based taxonomy at

16S rRNA gene: X97246 Analyse FASTA

Effective publication: Brenner DJ, Hollis DG, Fanning GR, Weaver RE. Capnocytophaga canimorsus sp. nov. (formerly CDC group DF-2), a cause of septicemia following dog bite, and C. cynodegmi sp. nov., a cause of localized wound infection following dog bite. J Clin Microbiol 1989; 27:231-235.

IJSEM list: Anonymous. Validation list no. 32. Validation of publication of new names and new combinations previously effectively published outside the IJSB. Int J Syst Bacteriol 1990; 40:105-106.

Nomenclatural status: validly published under the ICNP

Taxonomic status: correct name (and explicitly recommended for medical use)

Risk group: 2

• Notes:
  • 😷 The risk group for Canada has been imported on 2024-02-27. The full classification is: risk group = 2, note = "Animal classification RG: 1 - Security sensitive biological agent: No - Terrestrial animal pathogen under Canadian Food Inspection Agency authority: No - Containment level: Containment Level 2". — The risk group for Swiss Confederation has been imported on 2024-02-01. The full classification is: risk group = 2. — The risk group for Germany has been imported on 2023-10-29. The full classification is: risk group = 2, note = "ht". — If in doubt, use the risk group given in the regulations for your country and, if these are not available, use the risk group given in the catalogue of the culture collection from which you have obtained or intend to obtain the strain.
  • 🎓 Name mentioned 376 times in PubMed until 2025-06-04.
  • 🙆 This name is on the List of Recommended Names for bacteria of medical importance (LoRN) as the name to be applied to this species. The name is on LoRN because of the recorded risk group of the species itself.
  • 🧍 According to Bartlett et al. (2022), this species is an established human pathogen. Publication: Bartlett A, Padfield D, Lear L, Bendall R, Vos M. A comprehensive list of bacterial pathogens infecting humans. Microbiology (Reading) 2022; 168:0.
  • 🧍 Capnocytophaga canimorsus Brenner et al. 1990 was previously known as CDC group DF-2. Publication: Euzeby JP. List of Bacterial Names with Standing in Nomenclature: a folder available on the Internet. Int J Syst Bacteriol 1997; 47:590-592.
  • 🧍 The genome of the type strain was sequenced as part of the GEBA (Genomic Encyclopedia of Bacteria and Archaea) project. Publication: Garcia-Lopez M, Meier-Kolthoff JP, Tindall BJ, Gronow S, Woyke T, Kyrpides NC, Hahnke RL, Goker M. Analysis of 1,000 Type-Strain Genomes Improves Taxonomic Classification of Bacteroidetes. Front Microbiol 2019; 10:2083.

Parent taxon: Capnocytophaga Leadbetter et al. 1982

Assigned by: Brenner DJ, Hollis DG, Fanning GR, Weaver RE. Capnocytophaga canimorsus sp. nov. (formerly CDC group DF-2), a cause of septicemia following dog bite, and C. cynodegmi sp. nov., a cause of localized wound infection following dog bite. J Clin Microbiol 1989; 27:231-235.

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Record number: 783603