Abstract:
Bacteria of the genus Brucella are facultative intracellular parasites that cause brucellosis, a severe animal and human disease. Recently, a group of taxonomists merged the brucellae with the primarily free-living, phylogenetically related Ochrobactrum spp. in the genus Brucella. This change, founded only on global genomic analysis and the fortuitous isolation of some opportunistic Ochrobactrum spp. from medically compromised patients, has been automatically included in culture collections and databases. We argue that clinical and environmental microbiologists should not accept this nomenclature, and we advise against its use because (i) it was presented without in-depth phylogenetic analyses and did not consider alternative taxonomic solutions; (ii) it was launched without the input of experts in brucellosis or Ochrobactrum; (iii) it applies a non-consensus genus concept that disregards taxonomically relevant differences in structure, physiology, population structure, core-pangenome assemblies, genome structure, genomic traits, clinical features, treatment, prevention, diagnosis, genus description rules, and, above all, pathogenicity; and (iv) placing these two bacterial groups in the same genus creates risks for veterinarians, medical doctors, clinical laboratories, health authorities, and legislators who deal with brucellosis, a disease that is particularly relevant in low- and middle-income countries. Based on all this information, we urge microbiologists, bacterial collections, genomic databases, journals, and public health boards to keep the Brucella and Ochrobactrum genera separate to avoid further bewilderment and harm.
摘要:
布鲁氏菌属细菌是引起布鲁氏菌病的兼性细胞内寄生虫,一种严重的动物和人类疾病。最近,一群分类学家将布鲁氏菌与主要的自由生活融合在一起,系统发育相关的苍白杆菌属。布鲁氏菌属。这种变化,仅建立在全球基因组分析和偶然分离某些机会性苍白杆菌属的基础上。来自医学上受损的患者,已自动包含在区域性集合和数据库中。我们认为临床和环境微生物学家不应该接受这种命名法,我们建议不要使用它,因为(i)它是在没有深入的系统发育分析的情况下提出的,并且没有考虑替代的分类学解决方案;(ii)它是在没有布鲁氏菌病或Ochrobactrum专家的输入的情况下推出的;(iii)它应用了一个不考虑分类学相关结构差异的非共识属概念,生理学,人口结构,核心-pangenome组件,基因组结构,基因组性状,临床特征,治疗,预防,诊断,属描述规则,and,最重要的是,致病性;以及(iv)将这两个细菌群置于同一属中会给兽医带来风险,医生,临床实验室,卫生当局,和处理布鲁氏菌病的立法者,这是一种在低收入和中等收入国家特别相关的疾病。根据这些信息,我们敦促微生物学家,细菌集合,基因组数据库,期刊,和公共卫生委员会将布鲁氏菌属和苍白杆菌属分开,以避免进一步的困惑和伤害。