RECENTLY DESCRIBED CLINICALLY IMPORTANT ANAEROBIC-BACTERIA - TAXONOMIC ASPECTS AND UPDATE

A new method of identifying bacteria, phylogenetic 16S rRNA sequencing , has led to major reorganizations among most genera of anaerobic bact eria, The pigmented Prevotella species now comprise seven species incl uding P. nigrescens and P. tannerae; P. intermedia/P. nigrescens-like organisms await inclusion, The former Mitsuokella dentalis and Hallell a seregens were transferred to Prevotella as one species, P. dentalis. P. enoeca is a new nonpigmenting Prevotella, The genus Porphyromonas currently includes 11 pigmented species and one nonpigmented species, P. catoniae; P. levii-like and P. endodontalis-like organisms are cand idates for the genus. Fusobacterium nucleatum currently has five subsp ecies, and F. varium includes the former F. pseudonecrophorum. Former Wolinella recta and Wolinella curva now are Campylobacter rectus and C ampylobacter curvus; Campylobacter showae is a new species. Isolates i ncluded in the bile-sensitive former Bacteroides gracilis now are Camp ylobacter gracilis; the bile-resistant B. gracilis isolates were trans ferred to a new genus, Sutterella, as S. wadsworthensis. The new Actin omyces species include two subspecies of the A, neuii and the A, radin gae-A. turicensis complex. The genus Eubacterium sensu stricto is repr esented by E. limosum, and the former E. alactolyticum was reclassifie d in a new genus, Pseudoramibacter, as P. alactolyticus. Recent entrie s include E. saphenum, E. minutum, E. exiguum, E. infirmum, and E. tar dum. A new genus, Atopobium houses some former lactobacilli and strept ococci. The genus Peptostreptococcus also have four new species: P. hy drogenalis, P. lacrimalis, P. lactolyticus, and P. vaginalis.