Taxon Description:
This species was formerly known as Streptococcus morbillorum but was moved to Gemella on the basis of phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA sequence comparisons.

Disease Associations:
Although found as part of the normal microbiota of the mouth and gastrointestinal orogenital tracts Gemella morbillorum is capable of causing a wide range of infections. Most of these can be attributed to spread via the bloodstream and thus infective endocarditis is the commonest. Other infections include meningitis brain liver and lung abscess osteomyelitis and septic thrombophlebitis.

Prevalence and Source:
Found in dental plaque on the tongue and has been isolated from periodontal pockets in periodontitis and exudate from pericoronitis associated with erupting third molars