{{Short description|Genus of bacteria}} {{Automatic taxobox | taxon = Aerococcus | image = Aerococcus urinae - colonies.jpg | authority = Williams ''et al.'', 1953 | type_species = ''A. viridans'' | type_species_authority = Williams ''et al.'', 1953 }}
'''''Aerococcus''''', from Ancient Greek ἀήρ (''aḗr''), meaning "air", and κόκκος (''kókkos''), meaning "grain", is a genus of bacterium in the phylum Bacillota (Bacteria).<ref>{{lpsn|classificationac.html|Classification of Genera AC}}</ref> The genus was first identified in 1953 from samples of air and dust as a catalase-negative, gram-positive coccus that grew in small clusters.<ref name="BG">{{Cite journal|title = Aerococcus, a New Bacterial Genus|journal = Journal of General Microbiology|date = 1953-06-01|pages = 475–480|volume = 8|issue = 3|doi = 10.1099/00221287-8-3-475|pmid = 13061751|first1 = R. E. O.|last1 = Williams|first2 = A.|last2 = Hirch|first3 = S. T.|last3 = Cowan|doi-access = free}}</ref> They were subsequently found in hospital environments and meat-curing brines.<ref>{{Cite journal|title = Development of a polymerase chain reaction test for specific identification of the urinary tract pathogen Aerococcus urinae|journal = Journal of Clinical Microbiology|date = 1993-05-01|issn = 0095-1137|pmc = 262936|pmid = 7684752|pages = 1350–1353|volume = 31|issue = 5|first1 = M.|last1 = Aguirre|first2 = M. D.|last2 = Collins | doi=10.1128/jcm.31.5.1350-1353.1993 }}</ref> It has been difficult to identify as it resembles alpha-hemolytic ''Streptococcus'' on blood agar plates and is difficult to identify by biochemical means.<ref name="AI">{{Cite journal|title = Aerococci and aerococcal infections|journal = Journal of Infection|pages = 467–474|volume = 66|issue = 6|doi = 10.1016/j.jinf.2012.12.006|first = Magnus|last = Rasmussen|pmid=23277106|date=Jun 2013|doi-access = free}}</ref> Sequencing of 16S rRNA has become the gold standard for identification, but other techniques such as MALDI-TOF have also been useful for identifying both the genus and species.<ref name="AI"/>
==Etymology== The name ''Aerococcus'' derives from Ancient Greek ἀήρ (''aḗr''), meaning "air", and κόκκος (''kókkos''), meaning "grain".<ref>{{lpsn|a/aerococcus.html|Aerococcus}}</ref> The name was given based on its round shape and that it was first discovered in air samples.<ref name="BG"/>
==Species== The genus contains these species:<ref>{{Cite web |title=Genus: ''Aerococcus'' |url=https://lpsn.dsmz.de/genus/aerococcus |website=List of Prokaryotic names with Standing in Nomenclature (LPSN) |access-date=2025-07-12}}</ref>
* ''A. agrisoli'' <small>Sun ''et al.'', 2023</small> (from Latin *ager* “field, farm” + *solum* “soil,” “of farmland soil”)<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Sun |first1=L. |title=''Aerococcus agrisoli'' sp. nov., isolated from paddy soil |journal=International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology |volume=73 |issue=11 |pages=006069 |year=2023 |doi=10.1099/ijsem.0.006069}}</ref> * ''A. christensenii'' <small>Collins ''et al.'', 1999</small>, named after Danish microbiologist Jens J. Christensen<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Collins |first1=M. D. |last2=Jovita |first2=M. R. |last3=Hutson |first3=R. A. |last4=Ohlén |first4=M. |last5=Falsen |first5=E. |title=''Aerococcus christensenii'' sp. nov., from the human vagina |journal=International Journal of Systematic Bacteriology |volume=49 |issue=3 |pages=1125–1128 |date=July 1999 |doi=10.1099/00207713-49-3-1125 |pmid=10425770}}</ref> * ''A. kribbianus'' <small>Bai ''et al.'', 2024</small> (honours KRIBB, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience & Biotechnology)<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Bai |first1=L. |title=''Aerococcus kribbianus'' sp. nov., a facultatively anaerobic bacterium isolated from pig faeces |journal=International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology |volume=74 |issue=2 |pages=006284 |year=2024 |doi=10.1099/ijsem.0.006284 |pmid=38415779}}</ref> * ''A. loyolae'' <small>Choi ''et al.'', 2023</small> (from Latin gen. *loyolae*, “of Loyola,” referring to Loyola University Chicago, site of isolation)<ref name="A_Choi2023">{{Cite journal |last1=Choi |first1=B. I. |title=Taxonomic considerations on ''Aerococcus urinae'' with proposal of subdivision into ''A. urinae'', ''A. tenax'' sp. nov., ''A. mictus'' sp. nov. and ''A. loyolae'' sp. nov. |journal=International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology |volume=73 |issue=9 |pages=006066 |year=2023 |doi=10.1099/ijsem.0.006066}}</ref> * ''A. mictus'' <small>Choi ''et al.'', 2023</small> (Latin gen. *mictus*, “of urinating,” from human urine, first source)<ref name="A_Choi2023"/> * ''A. sanguinicola'' <small>Lawson ''et al.'', 2001</small> (from the Latin for “blood-dweller”)<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Lawson |first1=P. A. |last2=Falsen |first2=E. |last3=Truberg-Jensen |first3=K. |last4=Collins |first4=M. D. |title=''Aerococcus sanguicola'' sp. nov., isolated from a human clinical source |journal=International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology |volume=51 |issue=2 |pages=475–479 |date=March 2001 |doi=10.1099/00207713-51-2-475 |pmid=11321093}}</ref> * ''A. suis'' <small>Vela ''et al.'', 2007</small> (Latin “of a hog”)<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Vela |first1=A. I. |title=''Aerococcus suis'' sp. nov., isolated from clinical specimens from swine |journal=International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology |volume=57 |issue=6 |pages=1291–1294 |year=2007 |doi=10.1099/ijs.0.64537-0 |pmid=17551045}}</ref> * ''A. tenax'' <small>Choi ''et al.'', 2023</small> (Latin masc. adj. *tenax*, “tenacious,” referring to strong biofilm behaviour)<ref name="A_Choi2023"/> * ''A. urinae'' <small>Aguirre & Collins, 1992</small> (Latin “of urine”)<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Aguirre |first1=M. |last2=Collins |first2=M. D. |title=Phylogenetic analysis of ''Aerococcus''-like organisms from urinary-tract infections: description of ''Aerococcus urinae'' sp. nov. |journal=Journal of General Microbiology |volume=138 |issue=2 |pages=401–405 |year=1992 |doi=10.1099/00221287-138-2-401 |doi-access=free |pmid=1373437}}</ref> * ''A. urinaeequi'' <small>(Garvie 1988) Felis ''et al.'', 2005</small> (Latin “of horse urine”)<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Felis |first1=G. E. |last2=Torriani |first2=S. |last3=Dellaglio |first3=F. |title=Reclassification of ''Pediococcus urinaeequi'' (ex Mees 1934) Garvie 1988 as ''Aerococcus urinaeequi'' comb. nov. |journal=International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology |volume=55 |issue=3 |pages=1325–1327 |date=May 2005 |doi=10.1099/ijs.0.63324-0 |pmid=15879276}}</ref> * ''A. urinaehominis'' <small>Lawson ''et al.'', 2001</small> (Latin “of human urine”)<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Lawson |first1=P. A. |last2=Falsen |first2=E. |last3=Ohlén |first3=M. |last4=Collins |first4=M. D. |title=''Aerococcus urinaehominis'' sp. nov., isolated from human urine |journal=International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology |volume=51 |issue=2 |pages=683–686 |date=March 2001 |doi=10.1099/00207713-51-2-683 |pmid=11321115}}</ref> * ''A. vaginalis'' <small>Tohno ''et al.'', 2014</small> (Latin *vaginalis*, “pertaining to the vagina”)<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Tohno |first1=M. |title=''Aerococcus vaginalis'' sp. nov., isolated from the human vagina |journal=International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology |volume=64 |issue=4 |pages=1229–1236 |year=2014 |doi=10.1099/ijs.0.058081-0 |pmid=24421273}}</ref> * ''A. viridans'' <small>Williams ''et al.'', 1953</small>—type species (Latin “making green”); causative agent of gaffkaemia in lobsters.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Williams |first1=R. E. O. |last2=Hirch |first2=A. |last3=Cowan |first3=S. T. |title=''Aerococcus'', a new bacterial genus |journal=Journal of General Microbiology |volume=8 |issue=3 |pages=475–480 |date=June 1953 |doi=10.1099/00221287-8-3-475 |doi-access=free |pmid=13061751}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Greenwood |first1=S. J. |last2=Keith |first2=I. R. |last3=Després |first3=B. M. |last4=Cawthorn |first4=R. J. |title=Genetic characterization of the lobster pathogen ''Aerococcus viridans'' var. ''homari'' by 16S rRNA gene sequence and RAPD |journal=Diseases of Aquatic Organisms |volume=63 |issue=2–3 |pages=237–246 |date=28 February 2005 |doi=10.3354/dao063237 |pmid=15819439}}</ref>
==See also== * Bacterial taxonomy * Microbiology
==References== {{Reflist|2}}
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Category:Bacteria genera Category:Lactobacillales Category:Pathogenic bacteria
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