Phylogenetic analyses of Klebsiella species delineate Klebsiella and Raoultella gen. nov., with description of Raoultella ornithinolytica comb. nov., Raoultella terrigena comb. nov. and Raoultella planticola comb. nov.

The phylogenetic relationships of the type strains of 9 Klebsiella species and 20 species from 11 genera of the family Enterobacteriaceae were investigated by performing a comparative analysis of the sequences of the 16S rRNA and rpoB genes. The sequence data were phylogenetically analysed by the neighbourjoining and parsimony methods. The phylogenetic inference of the sequence comparison confirmed that the genus Klebsiella is heterogeneous and composed of species which form three clusters that also included members of other genera, including Enterobacter aerogenes, Erwinia clusters I and II and Tatumella. Cluster I contained the type strains of Klebsiella pneumoniae subsp. pneumoniae, Klebsiella pneumoniae subsp. rhinoscleromatis and Klebsiella pneumoniae subsp. ozaenae. Cluster II contained Klebsiella ornithinolytica, Klebsiella planticola, Klebsiella trevisanii and Klebsiella terrigena, organisms characterized by growth at 10 degrees C and utilization of L-sorbose as carbon source. Cluster III contained Klebsiella oxytoca. The data from the sequence analyses along with previously reported biochemical and DNA-DNA hybridization data support the division of the genus Klebsiella into two genera and one genogroup. The name Raoultella is proposed as a genus name for species of cluster II and emended definitions of Klebsiella species are proposed.

[Chlamydia trachomatis cervicitis]. / La cervicite à Chlamydia trachomatis.

Cervicitis due to Chlamydia trachomatis is common in certain groups of women examined by the authors. It is clinically discrete, having no special characteristics and often not even showing clinical manifestations. However, it is the stage of infection of the genital apparatus which it is desirable to detect in order to prevent the serious tubal complications to which a too large number of young women is subject. Clinical medicine permits diagnosis and prescribes treatment for patients and, if possible, their partners. The principal difficulty is to know when to invoke them.

[Postoperative herpetic encephalitis. Value of Klapper's diagnostic method]. / Encéphalite herpétique postopératoire. Intérêt de la méthode diagnostique de Klapper.

A case of a 51 year old female with herpes encephalitis is reported. She underwent surgery for chronic pancreatitis with pseudocyst formation. On the third postoperative day, she developed a severe vesicular nasolabial eruption associated with a deep stupor. Anti-Herpes simplex viral (HSV) antibodies were found in both blood and cerebrospinal fluid. Klapper's anti-HSV antibody ratio was calculated and agreed with the hypothesis of herpes encephalitis. The patient was given nucleoside analogues. She rapidly improved and was discharged from the intensive care unit without any sequelae. The frequency of HSV infection in intensive care patients and the use of Klapper's index for the diagnosis of herpes encephalitis in these patients are then discussed.