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-pigmented and isolated from clinical sources, were compared with 17 culture collection strains representing 13 named strains of 4 Flavobacterium spp. and 4 unnamed strains of Flavobacterium spp. 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 DNA of 11 strains was 39.6 .+-. 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 Flavobacterium, but they could not be assigned to any previously defined species. A new species, with the name F. multivorum, is proposed for these 28 strains; the type strain in B5533 (= NCTC 11343).