Characterization of isolates of Eisenbergiella tayi, a strictly anaerobic Gram-stain variable bacillus recovered from human clinical materials in Canada

•Eisenbergiella tayi recovered from tissue or blood cultures in Canada.•Definitive identification achieved only after molecular characterization.•Whole genome sequence data of isolated indicated a large genome (>7 Mb) with G + C content of 46.5%-46.9%.

Eisenbergiella gen. nov. was proposed in 2014 to describe an obligate anaerobic, structurally Gram-positive but Gram-stain-negative-appearing bacillus recovered from the blood culture of an elderly Israeli man. Here, we describe features for eight blood culture isolates as well one appendix-derived isolate, recovered from seven patients located in two Canadian provinces, which by 16S rRNA gene sequencing, were identifiable as Eisenbergiella tayi, the sole validly- named species in this genus. After whole genome sequencing, isolates were found to be essentially identical (96.8-98.7% identity) to each other and to E. tayi DSM 26961T, after comparison using the ANIb tool and in silico DNA-DNA hydridization. All isolates were observed to have remarkably large genomes (7.1-8.3 Mb) with a G + C content of 46.5%-46.9%.