Aerococcus, from Ancient Greekἀήρ (aḗr), meaning "air", and κόκκος (kókkos), meaning "kernel", is a genus of bacterium in the phylum Bacillota (Bacteria).[1] 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.[2] They were subsequently found in hospital environments and meat-curing brines.[3] It has been difficult to identify as it resembles alpha-hemolytic Streptococcus on blood agar plates and is difficult to identify by biochemical means.[4] 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.[4]
Etymology
The name Aerococcus derives from Ancient Greekἀήρ (aḗr), meaning "air", and κόκκος (kókkos), meaning "berry".[5] The name was given based on its round shape and that it was first discovered in air samples.[2]
^"Genus: Aerococcus". List of Prokaryotic names with Standing in Nomenclature (LPSN). Retrieved 2025-07-12.
^Sun, L. (2023). "Aerococcus agrisoli sp. nov., isolated from paddy soil". International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology. 73 (11): 006069. doi:10.1099/ijsem.0.006069.
^Collins, M. D.; Jovita, M. R.; Hutson, R. A.; Ohlén, M.; Falsen, E. (July 1999). "Aerococcus christensenii sp. nov., from the human vagina". International Journal of Systematic Bacteriology. 49 (3): 1125–1128. doi:10.1099/00207713-49-3-1125. PMID10425770.
^Bai, L. (2024). "Aerococcus kribbianus sp. nov., a facultatively anaerobic bacterium isolated from pig faeces". International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology. 74 (2): 006284. doi:10.1099/ijsem.0.006284. PMID38415779.
^ abcChoi, B. I. (2023). "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". International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology. 73 (9): 006066. doi:10.1099/ijsem.0.006066.
^Lawson, P. A.; Falsen, E.; Truberg-Jensen, K.; Collins, M. D. (March 2001). "Aerococcus sanguicola sp. nov., isolated from a human clinical source". International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology. 51 (2): 475–479. doi:10.1099/00207713-51-2-475. PMID11321093.
^Vela, A. I. (2007). "Aerococcus suis sp. nov., isolated from clinical specimens from swine". International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology. 57 (6): 1291–1294. doi:10.1099/ijs.0.64537-0. PMID17551045.
^Felis, G. E.; Torriani, S.; Dellaglio, F. (May 2005). "Reclassification of Pediococcus urinaeequi (ex Mees 1934) Garvie 1988 as Aerococcus urinaeequi comb. nov". International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology. 55 (3): 1325–1327. doi:10.1099/ijs.0.63324-0. PMID15879276.
^Lawson, P. A.; Falsen, E.; Ohlén, M.; Collins, M. D. (March 2001). "Aerococcus urinaehominis sp. nov., isolated from human urine". International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology. 51 (2): 683–686. doi:10.1099/00207713-51-2-683. PMID11321115.
^Tohno, M. (2014). "Aerococcus vaginalis sp. nov., isolated from the human vagina". International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology. 64 (4): 1229–1236. doi:10.1099/ijs.0.058081-0. PMID24421273.
^Greenwood, S. J.; Keith, I. R.; Després, B. M.; Cawthorn, R. J. (28 February 2005). "Genetic characterization of the lobster pathogen Aerococcus viridans var. homari by 16S rRNA gene sequence and RAPD". Diseases of Aquatic Organisms. 63 (2–3): 237–246. doi:10.3354/dao063237. PMID15819439.