Introduction
The cornerstone of medical microbiology is the
accurate identification of bacteria, parasites, fungi,
and viruses of clinical and public health importance.
The language by which clinical microbiologists,
medical technologists, and physicians
communicate this information with one another
is in the form of a binominal name (genus and
species designations) of Latin or Greek derivation.
The importance of correctly reporting such information
cannot be overestimated, as the genus
and species can connote clinical relevance, diagnosis,
prognosis, treatment options, pathogenicity,
and disease outbreaks of epidemic- or pandemicassociated
significance. When laboratories around
the world do not consistently use the same terminology
(e.g., bacterial nomenclature), confusion
can result that can lead to errors, such as misdiagnoses
or problems in monitoring epidemiologic
trends.
Bacterial taxonomy is governed by two overriding
principles, namely, nomenclature and
classification. However, these principles differ
significantly in their goals and objectives. Bacterial
nomenclature involves the creation, publishing,
and registering of a valid name to represent
an individual taxon that meets the general definition