Flavobacterium multivorum, a New Species Isolated from Human Clinical Specimens and Previously Known as Group IIk, Biotype 2

Abstract

Thirty-two gram-negative bacterial strains, most of which were yellow-pig-mented and isolated from clinical sources, were compared with 17 culture collection strains representing 13 named strains of four Flavobacterium species and 4 unnamed strains of Flavobacterium species. Twenty-nine of the strains were originally received as or subsequently assigned to group IIk, biotype 2. All 49 strains were examined for 127 characteristics, including reactions to 58 enzyme tests (API ZYM system), and the data were analyzed by numerical taxonomic methods involving estimation of Gower's general similarity coefficient and clustering by unweighted pair-group average linkage and single-linkage analyses. Twenty-eight of the group IIk, biotype 2, strains formed a single, well-defined cluster (92.0% similarity level). These 28 strains were aerobic, gram-negative, nonmotile, oxidative rods, the mean base composition of the deoxyribonucleic acids of 11 strains was 39.6 f 0.5 mol% guanine plus cytosine. Distinctive features of the 28 strains were the ability to produce acid from a range of carbohydrates and their resistance to antimicrobial agents. The 28 strains were classified in the genus Flauobacterium, but they could not be assigned to any previously defined species. Therefore a new species, with the name Flavobacterium multivorum, is proposed for these 28 strains; the type strain is B5533 (= NCTC 11343). Tatum et al. (25) described 140 strains of gram-negative, yellow-pigmented, rod-shaped bacteria thought to resemble Pseudomonas or possibly Xanthomonas species isolated from human and other sources of clinical interest. These bacteria were referred to as "group IIk," and two biotypes were recognized (although the word "biovar" is now recommended in place of "bio-type" [16], we continue to use "biotype" here because of its historical association with group IIk). The 100 strains of biotype 1 were deeply yellow pigmented, whereas the 40 strains of bio-type 2 were usually pale to light yellow. The motility observations of the group IIk strains in semisolid agar medium were sometimes equivocal , hence, wet-mount preparations were recommended. Five percent of the biotype 2 strains were reported as motile, and for both biotypes of group IIk, strains were described as monotri-chous (25). Holmes et al. (10) studied various yellow-pig-mented isolates originally received at the National Collection of Type Cultures (NCTC), London, United Kingdom, for identification and showed, by numerical analysis of phenotypic characteristics, that 27 strains formed a cluster with two reference strains of group IIk, biotype 1. The name Pseudomonas paucimobilis was proposed by Holmes et al. (10) for these 29 strains because most motile strains contained few actively motile cells. Motile strains had a single polar flagellum. Holmes et al. excluded two reference strains of group IIk, biotype 2, and two biochemically similar strains from the P. paucimo bilis cluster. Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) base compositions (moles percent gua-nine plus cytosine [G+C] p...

Flavobacterium spiritivorum, a New Species Isolated from Human Clinical Specimens

“…Their clinical significance cannot be assessed at present, but their resistance to a wide range of antimicrobial agents indicates that any infections in humans due to such bacteria could prove difficult to treat. Resistance to antimicrobial agents is a characteristic that F. spiritivorum shares with most other Flavobacterium species (1,(10)(11)(12)(13)(14)27).…”

“…The name Flavobacterium rnultivorum was proposed (10) for strains that belonged to group IIk biotype 2. The degree of relatedness between biotype 1 and biotype 2 strains was confused in the past because of their apparent overall phenotypic similarity (26).…”

“…multivorum, and we present evidence that they constitute a new species, herein named Flavobacterium spiritivorum. The strains included in the new species were previously referred to as "group IIk, type 3" (8), because they seemed likely to provide the basis of a new taxon (10).…”

Flavobacterium gleum, a New Species Found in Human Clinical Specimens

“…Tatum bacteria, rium as et al (23) described various unnamed groups of several of which conform to the genus Flavobacteredefined by Holmes and Owen (6) and either correspond to existing species or constitute new ones. Group M-4f was shown to correspond to Flavobacterium odoratum (ll), and the name Flavobacterium multivorum was given to strains previously assigned to group Ilk, biotype 2 (10). Flavobacterium species group IIb, which also corresponds to the revised description of Flavobacterium (6), remains the only unnamed Flavobacterium group of the groups originally described by Tatum et al (23).…”

Sphingobacterium multivorum causing fatal meningoencephalitis: a rare case report

“…1 S. mulivorum has been isolated from various clinical specimens but it is only rarely been associated with serious infections. [2][3][4] Sphingobacterium species are generally resistant to aminoglycosides and polymyxin B. Susceptibility to β-lactam antibiotics is variable, requiring testing for individual drug. 5 We report here a case of fatal meningitis caused by this bacteria, probably first time isolated from CSF.…”