Clinical Decisions: How Relevant is Modern Bacterial Taxonomy for Clinical Microbiologists?

Bacterial taxonomy has radically changed over the past three decades largely due to innovative technologies, such as 16S rRNA gene sequencing and whole-genome sequencing (WGS). These changes have resulted in an explosion in the number of proposed new bacterial species that are based upon a very limited number of strains and changes to our perspectives on what constitutes a “bacterial species.” The format in which these new species have been proposed also presents challenges to both clinical and public health microbiologists. How much attention should be placed on monitoring these changes in nomenclature and classification when they may change quickly and can easily disrupt our laboratory information systems, our hospital information systems, and historical data extractions and dashboards, which need continual amendment? This review highlights taxonomic issues and changing trends related to the clinical laboratory, suggested guidelines for reviewing these proposals, and where the field of modern bacterial taxonomy may be going.