Nocardia Identification Challenges: Taxonomy Complexity Demands Molecular Methods
This review addresses the complicated taxonomy of the genus Nocardia, with particular focus on the dissolution of the former N. asteroides complex into multiple distinct species with different antimicrobial susceptibility profiles. Accurate species-level identification using 16S rRNA sequencing and other molecular methods is essential for guiding therapy, as conventional biochemical testing is unreliable. The review provides practical guidance for clinical microbiology laboratories processing suspected nocardial isolates.
The original study
The Complexities of Nocardia Taxonomy and Identification.
- Authors
- Conville PS, Brown-Elliott BA, Smith T, Zelazny AM
- Journal
- Journal of clinical microbiology
- Type
- Journal Article, Review
- PMID
- 29118169
Original abstract
Nocardia species are a complex group of organisms considered to belong to the aerobic actinomycetes. Of the validly described species, many have been implicated as the cause of serious human infections, especially in immunocompromised patients. The genus has a complicated taxonomic history; this is especially true for Nocardia asteroides, the type species of the genus and previously the most frequently reported nocardial taxon from human specimens. We provide background on the current taxonomy of Nocardia, with a focus on clinically relevant species, and discuss the currently available methods used to accurately identify isolates to the species, complex, or group level.