Streptococcus

Streptococcus
Scientific classification
Domain:	Bacteria
Phylum:	Bacillota
Class:	Bacilli
Order:	Lactobacillales
Family:	Streptococcaceae
Genus:	Streptococcus Rosenbach, 1884
Species[1]
Streptococcus acidominimus[1] Streptococcus agalactiae (Group B Streptococcus) Streptococcus alactolyticus[1] Streptococcus anginosus Streptococcus australis[1] Streptococcus caballi[1] Streptococcus cameli[1] Streptococcus canis Streptococcus caprae[1] Streptococcus castoreus[1] Streptococcus constellatus Streptococcus criceti[1] Streptococcus cristatus Streptococcus cuniculi[1] Streptococcus danieliae[1] Streptococcus dentasini[1] Streptococcus dentiloxodontae[1] Streptococcus dentirousetti[1] Streptococcus devriesei[1] Streptococcus didelphis[1] Streptococcus downei Streptococcus dysgalactiae Streptococcus entericus[1] Streptococcus equi[1] Streptococcus equinus Streptococcus faecalis (Group D Strepcoccus) Streptococcus ferus Streptococcus gallinaceus[1] Streptococcus gallolyticus[1] Streptococcus gordonii[1] Streptococcus halichoeri[1] Streptococcus halotolerans[1] Streptococcus henryi[1] Streptococcus himalayensis[1] Streptococcus hongkongensis[1] Streptococcus hyointestinalis[1] Streptococcus hyovaginalis[1] Streptococcus ictaluri[1] Streptococcus infantarius Streptococcus infantis[1] Streptococcus iniae Streptococcus intermedius Streptococcus lactarius[1] Streptococcus loxodontisalivarius[1] Streptococcus lutetiensis[1] Streptococcus macacae[1] Streptococcus marimammalium[1] Streptococcus marmotae[1] Streptococcus massiliensis[1] Streptococcus merionis[1] Streptococcus minor[1] Streptococcus mitis Streptococcus moroccensis[1] Streptococcus mutans Streptococcus oralis Streptococcus oricebi[1] Streptococcus oriloxodontae[1] Streptococcus orisasini[1] Streptococcus orisratti Streptococcus orisuis[1] Streptococcus ovis[1] Streptococcus panodentis[1] Streptococcus pantholopis[1] Streptococcus parasanguinis Streptococcus parasuis[1] Streptococcus parauberis[1] Streptococcus peroris Streptococcus pharyngis[1] Streptococcus phocae[1] Streptococcus pluranimalium[1] Streptococcus plurextorum[1] Streptococcus pneumoniae[1] Streptococcus porci[1] Streptococcus porcinus[1] Streptococcus porcorum[1] Streptococcus pseudopneumoniae[1] Streptococcus pseudoporcinus[1] Streptococcus pyogenes (Group A Streptococcus) Streptococcus ratti Streptococcus rifensis[1] Streptococcus rubneri[1] Streptococcus rupicaprae[1] Streptococcus salivarius Streptococcus saliviloxodontae[1] Streptococcus sanguinis[1] Streptococcus sinensis[1] Streptococcus sobrinus[1] Streptococcus suis Streptococcus tangierensis[1] Streptococcus thermophilus Streptococcus thoraltensis[1] Streptococcus tigurinus Streptococcus troglodytae[1] Streptococcus troglodytidis[1] Streptococcus uberis Streptococcus urinalis[1] Streptococcus ursoris[1] Streptococcus vestibularis Streptococcus zooepidemicus Viridans streptococci Streptococcus anginosus group

Streptococcus is a genus of gram-positive coccus (pl.: cocci) or spherical bacteria that belongs to the family Streptococcaceae, within the order Lactobacillales (lactic acid bacteria), in the phylum Bacillota.^[2] Cell division in streptococci occurs along a single axis, thus when growing they tend to form pairs or chains, which may appear bent or twisted. This differs from staphylococci, which divide along multiple axes, thereby generating irregular, grape-like clusters of cells. Most streptococci are oxidase-negative and catalase-negative, and many are facultative anaerobes (capable of growth both aerobically and anaerobically).

The term was coined in 1877 by Viennese surgeon Albert Theodor Billroth (1829–1894),^[3] by combining the prefix "strepto-" (from Ancient Greek: στρεπτός, romanized: streptós, lit. 'easily twisted, pliant'^[4]), together with the suffix "-coccus" (from Modern Latin: coccus, from Ancient Greek: κόκκος, romanized: kókkos, lit. 'grain, seed, berry'.^[5]) In 1984, many bacteria formerly grouped in the genus Streptococcus were separated out into the genera Enterococcus and Lactococcus.^[6] Currently, over 50 species are recognised in this genus. This genus has been found to be part of the salivary microbiome.^[7]