On the next few pages, the following lists (in no particular order) exhibit several notable examples of recent changes in nomenclature as they apply to bacteria, mycobacteria, fungi, viruses, and parasites. Any molecular microbiology revisions relate to these and will not be explored further in this module.
Bacteria:28,29,30
- Clostridioides difficile (formerly Clostridium difficile)
- Aggregatibacter aphrophilus (formerly Haemophilus aphrophilus)
- Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans (formerly Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans)
- Mammaliicoccus sciuri and Mammaliicoccus lentus (formerly Staphylococcus sciuri and Staphylocccus lentus)
- Brucella anthropi (formerly Ochrobacter anthropi)
- Streptococcus anginosus group (Streptococcus anginosus, intermedius, and constellatus [formerly Streptococcus milleri or Streptococcus milleri group])
- Streptococcus gallolyticus (formerly Streptococcus bovis)
- Cutibacterium acnes (formerly Propionibacterium acnes)
- Cutibacterium granulosum (formerly Propionibacterium granulosum)
- Stenotrophomonas maltophilia (formerly Xanthomonas maltophilia)
- Klebsiella aerogenes (formerly Enterobacter aerogenes)
- Bartonella henselae (formerly Rochalimaea henselae)
- Burkholderia cepacia (formerly Pseudomonas cepacia)
- Pseudescherichia vulneris (a new/novel genus and species)
Mycobacteria:30,31,32
Non-tuberculosis Mycobacterium spp. now include four new genera:
genus Mycolicibacter
- genus Mycolicibacillus
- genus Mycobacteroides (rapid growers); for example, Mycobacteroides chelonae (formerly Mycobacterium chelonae)
- genus Mycolicibacterium (rapid growers); for example, Mycolicibacterium fortuitum (formerly Mycobacterium fortuitum)
Left intact include:
- Mycobacterium tuberculosis
- Mycobacterium bovis
- Mycobacterium avium
- Mycobacterium leprae
- Mycobacterium kansasii
- Mycobacterium genavense
- Mycobacterium scrofulaceum
Note: This list is not intended to be exhaustive. Revisions continue to be made. Always consult appropriate resources (publications and websites) for the most recent information. Not all name changes have been broadly accepted. Wherever possible, including current and former names in reports is helpful.
28. Sax, P. (2019, June 6). A highly subjective guide to clinically important infections that have changed names. New England Journal of Medicine Journal Watch. https://blogs.jwatch.org/hiv-id-observations/index.php/a-highly-subjective-guide-to-clinically-important-infections-that-have-changed-names/2019/06/02/29. Carroll, K. C., Munson, E., Butler-Wu, S. M., & Patrick, S. (2023). Point-Counterpoint: What’s in a name? Clinical microbiology laboratories should use nomenclature based on current taxonomy. Journal of Clinical Microbiology, 61(1). https://doi.org/10.1128/jcm.01732-2230. Prinzi, A. M., & Moore, N. M. (2023). Change of Plans: overview of bacterial taxonomy, recent changes of medical importance, and potential areas of impact. Open Forum Infectious Diseases, 10(7), ofad269. https://doi.org/10.1093/ofid/ofad269 31. Armstrong, D. T., Eisemann, E., & Parrish, N. (2023). A brief update on Mycobacterial taxonomy, 2020 to 2022. Journal of Clinical Microbiology, 61(4). https://doi.org/10.1128/jcm.00331-2232. Munson, E. (2024). Bacterial Taxonomy: The Big Debate [Presentation]. Marquette University, Wisconsin Clinical Laboratory Network, Laboratory Technical Advisory Group. First Coast Infectious Disease Symposium. http://www.firstcoastidcm.com/Munson%202024.pdf
