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[Enterobacteriaceae: genera and species in 1988]
1Service des Entérobactéries, Unité INSERM U. 199, Institut Pasteur, Paris.
Annales De Biologie Clinique
|January 1, 1988
Summary
Recent advances in numerical taxonomy and DNA analysis have expanded the Enterobacteriaceae family, identifying numerous new genera and species. However, only a small fraction of these are medically significant.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Bacterial Taxonomy
- Molecular Biology
Context:
- The Enterobacteriaceae family has undergone significant taxonomic expansion.
- Traditional identification methods rely on biochemical tests.
- Recent years have seen a proliferation of new genera and species.
Purpose:
- To review the impact of modern taxonomic methods on the Enterobacteriaceae family.
- To highlight the discrepancy between the total number of described species and those of medical importance.
Summary:
- Numerical taxonomy, G + C content determination, and DNA-DNA reassociation studies have led to a significant increase in the number of recognized Enterobacteriaceae genera and species.
- As of 1988, the family comprised 30 genera and 99 species identifiable by biochemical tests.
- Despite the large number of species, only 20-25 are considered clinically relevant in medical microbiology.
Impact:
- Clarifies the scope of bacterial diversity within the Enterobacteriaceae.
- Emphasizes the need for focused research on clinically significant species.
- Provides a basis for understanding taxonomic challenges in medical microbiology.