This new subspecies was previously Salmonella group 4. It is a Gram negative rod-shaped bacterium that is associated with gastrointestinal disease called salmonellosis, characterized by cramping and diarrhea. There have been rare instances where the organism has been recovered from other infections, including bacteremia, meningitis, and brain abscesses. Victims can be humans and other animals, but the normal habitat seems to be cold-blooded animals. The rods are straight and usually motile. Gas is produced when fermenting sugars, and hydrogen sulfide is frequently encountered. Growth occurs optimally at 35-37 C. Some patients with salmonellosis caused by this microbe have been linked with reptile exposure.