Growth of bacterial cultures in Petri dishes. Credit: Sylvia Suter, University Hospital Basel
Key points:
- Researchers used a new method to sequence the entire genome of 61 unknown bacterial pathogens found in blood or tissue samples from patients with various medical conditions.
- Their analysis revealed 35 previously unknown bacteria, including 7 that could cause bacterial infections in humans.
- The team hopes to continue collecting, sequencing, and naming the new bacteria species in order to make it easier to correctly diagnose and treat infections caused by rare pathogens.
Treatment for bacterial infections is most successful when the cause or type of bacteria is known. A new study, published in BMC Microbiology, details how researchers identified many new species of bacteria to give insights for clinical practice.
The research team analyzed 61 unknown bacterial pathogens found in blood or tissue samples from patients with various medical conditions. The team used a new method to sequence the complete genetic material of the bacteria. They then compared these newly identified sequences with known strains using an online tool.
Their analysis yielded 35 previously unknown bacteria, including 26 that the team classified as hard-to-identify due to their recent addition to databases. Importantly, the researchers found that 7 of the 35 new strains were clinically relevant and could cause bacterial infections in humans.
Most of the newly identified species belong to the Corynebacterium and Schaalia genera. These are gram-positive bacilli that can cause infections upon entering the bloodstream.
“Many species in these two genera are found in the natural human skin microbiome and the mucosa,” explained study lead Daniel Goldenberger of the University of Basel. “This is why they are frequently underestimated, and research into them is sparse.”
Their identification of hard-to-identify pathogens also had important health implications. For example, one of these pathogens—named Vandammella animalimorsus in 2022—was found in wounds caused by dog or cat bites, meaning that it is an emerging pathogen worthy of monitoring.
Looking ahead, the team hopes to continue collecting, sequencing, and naming the new bacteria species. This work will make it easier to correctly diagnose and treat infections caused by rare pathogens.
“We have noticed a major dynamic here: thanks to technological advances in bacteriology, much more is being published about newly discovered species of bacteria,” said Goldenberger.