AN ETIOLOGIC CONSIDERATION OF DONOVANIA GRANULOMATIS CULTIVATED FROM GRANULOMA INGUINALE (THREE CASES) IN EMBRYONIC YOLK

1. A microorganism identical with that originally described by Anderson has been cultivated in pure strain from two additional cases of granuloma inguinale by means of inoculating the yolk of chick embryos with uncontaminated human tissue containing Donovan bodies. 2. The morphological and cultural characteristics of the three isolated strains are described and discussed. 3. This microorganism has been cultivated in vitro only in media containing embryonic yolk. It failed to grow on any of a variety of artificial media. 4. It has not proved to be pathogenic for common experimental animals. 5. The Donovan body is reproduced in the epithelial cells of the yolk sac and in the yolk. The microorganism evidently reproduces both extracellularly and intracellularly. 6. The microorganism produces in culture antigens that elicit immune reactions in the skin and serum of granuloma inguinale patients. 7. This microorganism is judged to be a bacterium and the etiological agent of granuloma inguinale. 8. It is proposed that these strains of the bacterium be the type of a new genus, Donovania, in recognition of Donovan's original description of the pathognomonic bodies of granuloma inguinale; and that the specific name granulomatis be applied to designate its relationship to the characteristic lesion of the disease.