Current Status of Taxonomy and Recommended Identification Methods

The genus Nocardia has had a long and complex history with an equally complex taxonomy. Recent advances in molecular identification methods have vastly expanded the number of recognized Nocardia species, further complicating the taxonomy of the genus. Because of the increasing number of clinically relevant species, biochemical identification methods are no longer adequate to allow discrimination among species. Molecular methodologies, specifically gene sequencing, has now become the gold standard for nocardial identification.

Source: Clinical Microbiology Newsletter - February 3, 2015 Category: Microbiology Authors: Barbara A. Brown-Elliott, Patricia Conville, Richard J. Wallace Source Type: news