Staphylococcus stepanovicii sp. nov., a novel novobiocin-resistant oxidase-positive staphylococcal species isolated from wild small mammals

Five novobiocin-resistant and oxidase-positive staphylococcal strains were isolated from wild small mammals. Phenotypic studies and phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA, rpoB and dnaJ gene sequences revealed that these strains were members of the Staphylococcus sciuri cluster group and were similar to Staphylococcus fleurettii. DNA–DNA hybridisation with closely related staphylococcal species suggested that the strains represented a novel species. The name Staphylococcus stepanovicii is proposed, and the type strain is 196T (=PCM 2693T =CCM 7717T).