Anne Le Flèche-Matéos

La contamination de plusieurs poches de nutrition parentérale (PNP) par une bactérie inconnue, a déclenché une investigation, toujours en cours. Les objectifs essentiels étaient de caractériser cette bactérie sur le plan taxonomique pour permettre de la reconnaître dans d'autres contextes. Le séquençage du gène rrs, codant l'ARN 16S, a permis de positionner la bactérie inconnue parmi les Enterobacteriaceae, à proximité des genres Ewingella, Rahnella, Serratia, Yersinia et Hafnia. Le séquençage du génome total de la bactérie a permis d'utiliser cinq gènes pour une étude MLSA (multi-locus sequence analysis). L'arbre phylogénétique ainsi obtenu montre que la bactérie (six isolats ne représentant qu'une seule souche) représente un nouveau genre de la famille Enterobacteriaceae que nous avons appelé Rouxiella, l'espèce étant Rouxiella chamberiensis. Un des isolats a été désigné souche-type et déposé dans les collections dans deux pays différents (CIP, France et DSMZ, Allemagne). Les propriétés physiologiques et biochimiques de R. chamberiensis ont permis d'en faire une description. R. chamberiensis ne se développe pas à 37 °C, ce qui ne plaide pas pour une action pathogène active sur l'homme, ne produit pas de nitrate réductase (au contraire de la très grande majorité des Enterobacteriaceae, mais comme Erwinia), et ne fermente que peu de glucides. Le nom Rouxiella chamberiensis a été validé par publication dans l'International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology. Dès que ce nouveau genre et espèce a été publié, d'autres chercheurs ont isolé de l'environnement des souches qui étaient proches de Rouxiella. Une collaboration avec une équipe allemande a permis de décrire deux nouvelles espèces de Rouxiella, « R. badensis » et « R. sylvae »

The current study describes a novel species with the strain name ERMR1:05^T isolated from the forefield soil of East Rathong Glacier in West Sikkim Himalaya (India). The isolate was facultatively anaerobic, gram-stain negative, non-spore-forming, rod-shaped, and oxidase negative. Whole-genome-based bacterial core gene phylogenetic analysis placed the strain in the genus Rahnella, well separated from Rouxiella spp. The digital DNA–DNA hybridisation and average nucleotide identity values between strain ERMR1:05^T and other members of genus Rahnella were below the proposed thresholds for the species delineation. Based on these results, a new species, Rahnella sikkimica sp. nov., is proposed with strain ERMR1:05^T (CIP 111636^T, MTCC 12598^T) as the type strain. The bacterium showed upregulation of cold-stress genes in cold conditions. Additionally, the genome analysis of the bacterium showed the presence of plant growth-promotion factors suggesting its role in crop improvement in cold hilly regions.

Three New Cases of Melioidosis, Guadeloupe, French West Indies

We identified a potential infectious cause to a blinding disease.

Burkholderia cepacia causes frequent infections in immunocompromised and hospitalized patients, with a significant mortality rate. This bacterial species has also been associated with epidemic outbreaks due to contamination of antiseptic solutions and parenteral and nebulized medications. In 2016, in the town of Bongonon in the north of the Central African Republic (CAR), a three-year-old boy with febrile meningeal syndrome (fever, neck stiffness and altered general condition) was admitted for a medical consultation provided by the nongovernmental organization MSF-Spain. On 20 March 2016, a sample of the boy

Four bacterial strains isolated from peat bog soil or swampy meadow in Baden-Württemberg (Germany) and found to have rrs sequences close to that of Rouxiella chamberiensis were compared to this species by multi-locus sequence analysis and phenotypic tests. The four strains constituted two discrete groups (referred to as Baden and Silva groups) belonging to the genus Rouxiella. These groups differed in the ability to grow at 37°C, reduce nitrate into nitrite, and produce acid from several carbohydrates. Two new species are therefore proposed, Rouxiella badensis sp. nov. for the Baden group (type strain, 323T = CIP 111153T = DSM 100043T) and Rouxiella silvae for the Silva group (type strain, 213T = CIP 111154T = DSM 103735T ). The definition of the genus Rouxiella is emended to take the new species into account.

International audienceTo the Editor: Carnobacterium spp. are ubiquitous lactic acid bacteria isolated from cold and temperate environments (1). They are present in food including fish, meat, and dairy products. Only C. divergens and C. maltaromaticum (formerly C. piscicola) are found in dairy products (2). Carnobacteria are well known for their ability to produce bacteriocins that inhibit Listeria monocytogenes (1). Because Carnobacterium and Listeria bacteria are psychrotrophic and share the same ecologic niche, many studies have highlighted the potential use of carnobacteria as a biopreservative (1). These bacteria were previously believed to be nonpathogenic for humans. We report a case of C. divergens bacteremia in a woman. [...