Staphylococcus borealis sp.nov., a novel member of the Staphylococcaceae family isolated from skin and blood in humans. New staphylococcal species: Staphylococcus borealis

When analysing a large cohort of Staphylococcus haemolyticus, using whole-genome sequencing, five isolates (four from the skin and one from a blood culture) with aberrant phenotypic and genotypic traits were identified. The five isolates were initially speciated as S. haemolyticus based on 16S rRNA gene sequence and MALDI-TOF MS. However, compared to S. haemolyticus, these five isolates demonstrate i) considerable phylogenetic distance with an average nucleotide identity < 95 % and inferred DNA-DNA hybridization < 70 %, ii) a pigmented phenotype, iii) urease production and iv) different fatty acid composition. Based on the phenotypic and genotypic results, we conclude that these strains represent a novel species, for which the name Staphylococcus borealis sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain 51-48T is deposited to the Culture Collection University of Gothenburg (CCUG 73747T) and to the Spanish Type Culture Collection (CECT 30011T).