Streptococcus mitis

Streptococcus mitis is a mesophilic alpha-haemolytic species of Streptococcus that inhabits the human mouth. It can cause endocarditis. It has been widely reported that this organism survived for over two years on the Surveyor 3 probe on the moon. However this claim is now discounted by NASA scientists: see myth of Streptococcus mitis on the moon.

Uri Geller, the famous mentalist, once said that most of his supernatural powers came from a childhood infection involving S. mitis. nl:Streptococcus mitis

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  Two blood agar plates (BAP). Left plate contains Streptococcus mitis, alpha-hemolytic bacteria, while the right plate contains Group A Streptococcus pyogenes (GAS), a typical beta-hemolytic bacteria. From Public Health Image Library (PHIL). ^[1]