Open AccessTaxonomic position of the Rickettsiae: Current knowledge
Author(s) -
Drancourt M.,
Raoult D.
Publication year - 1994
Publication title -
fems microbiology reviews
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 5.91
H-Index - 212
eISSN - 1574-6976
pISSN - 0168-6445
DOI - 10.1111/j.1574-6976.1994.tb00032.x
Subject(s) - bartonella , biology , rickettsia , rickettsiales , rickettsia prowazekii , spotted fever , rickettsiaceae , taxonomy (biology) , wolbachia , ehrlichia , typhus , microbiology and biotechnology , zoology , virology , bacteria , genetics , tick , virus
The term rickettsiae initially encompassed all intracellular bacteria. Early rickettsial taxonomy was based on a comparison of a few phenotypic characteristics and recently, molecular studies brought new bases for rickettsial taxonomy. All rickettsial species studied so far belong to the alpha and gamma groups of the Proteobacteria. Ehrlichiae complex groups Cowdria ruminantium, Anaplasma marginate and Wolbachia pipientis and the related parthenogenesis and cytoplasmic incompatibility bacteria, whereas Rochalimaea species group with Bartonella bacilliformis. Rickettsia tsutsugainushi may form an independent lineage, whereas molecular data allow to regroup serologically defined typhus and spotted fever group rickettsiae. The true scale of Rickettsia and Coxiella genera remain to be determined.