Streptobacillus felis is a fastidious microorganism and a novel member of the potentially zoonotic bacteria causing rat bite fever. Since its description, this is the second isolation of S. felis in a diseased member of the Felidae. Interestingly, the strain from this study was isolated from a zoo held, rusty-spotted cat (Prionailurus rubiginosus), with pneumonia, thereby indicating a possible broader host range in feline species. A recent preliminary sampling of domestic cats (Felis silvestris forma catus) revealed that this microorganism is common in the oropharynx, suggesting that S. felis is a member of their normal microbiota. Due to unawareness, fastidiousness, antibiotic sensitivity and lack of diagnostics the role of S. felis as a cat and human pathogen might be under-reported as with other Streptobacillus infections. More studies are necessary to elucidate the role of S. felis in domestic cats and other Felidae in order to better estimate its zoonotic potential.

粪链球菌是一种挑食性微生物，是引起鼠咬热的潜在人畜共患细菌的新型成员。根据其描述，这是Felidae患病成员中第二种分离的S. felis。有趣的是，这项研究的菌株是从动物园饲养的，锈斑斑的猫（Prionailurus rubiginosus）中分离出的，并带有肺炎，因此表明猫科动物的宿主范围可能更广。最近对家猫（Felis silvestris forma catus）的初步取样显示，这种微生物在口咽中很常见，这表明猫链球菌是其正常菌群的成员。由于不了解，一丝不苟，对抗生素的敏感性，缺乏诊断的作用S.猫的猫和人类病原体可能是下报与其他链杆菌感染。有必要进行更多的研究以阐明猫链球菌在家猫和其他猫科动物中的作用，以便更好地估计其人畜共患病潜力。