Rapidly rising cases with Omicron in Senegal.

•Omicron variant continues to progress in Senegal with the appearance of new contaminations.•IRESSEF detected the first positive case of the Omicron variant on Friday, December 3, 2021.•Since this date, the number of Omicron variant infections has increased over the weeks.•Molecular surveillance of the Omicron variant is carried out in real time to inform the medical authorities.

Virgibacillus doumboii sp. nov., a halophilic bacterium isolated from the stool of a healthy child in Mali.

A moderately halophilic and strictly aerobic bacterium was isolated from a human stool as part of a study on the diagnosis of childhood malnutrition in Mali. Strain Marseille-Q1616T is a Gram-stain-positive, rod-shaped, catalase-positive and oxidase-negative bacterium. It has a genome size of 3.91 Mbp with 39.79% G+C content, which contains 3954 protein-coding genes including genes encoding phosphomycin resistance and Listeria monocytogenes, 16 rRNA genes and 64 tRNA genes. Strain Marseille-Q1616T exhibited a 96.3% 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity and shared an OrthoANI value of 70.64% (the highest observed) with Virgibacillus kekensis, the phylogenetically closest validly published species. Based on phenotypic and phylogenetic evidence and genomic average nucleotide identity values, we suggest the creation of a new species within the Virgibacillus genus, named Virgibacillus doumboii sp. nov., type strain Marseille-Q1616T (= CSURQ1616).

Taxonogenomics description of Bacillus marasmi sp. nov., a new species isolated from the stool sample.

Using the culturomics method, two strains were isolated, identified, and characterised following the taxonogenomics concept. Bacillus marasmi sp. nov. strain Marseille-P3556 (= CSURP3556) is isolated from a 13-month-old girl living in Niger. The phylogenetic tree, phenotypic criteria, and genomic analysis described here clearly show that this bacterium is different from previously known bacterial species withstanding in nomenclature and new members of Bacillus genus.

Neobacillus massiliamazoniensis sp. nov., a new bacterial species isolated from stool sample of an inhabitant of the Amazon region.

Using a culturomics approach, a strain was isolated, identified and characterised following the taxonogenomics concept. Neobacillus massiliamazoniensis sp. nov., strain LF1T (=CSURP1359) was isolated from human stool. The 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis of strain LF1T (accession number: LK021124) exhibits 98.32% similarity levels with Neobacillus bataviensis strain IDA1115 (accession number: NR_036766.1), the phylogenetically closest related species with standing in nomenclature. The draft genome size of strain LF1T (accession number: CVRB00000000) is 4.6 Mbp with a G+C content of 34.1 mol%. Analysis of phylogenic tree, genomic analysis and phenotypic criteria described here sufficiently prove that this bacterium is different from previously known bacterial species with standing in nomenclature and represents a new Neobacillus species belonging to Firmicutes phylum.

Taxonogenomics description of Arcanobacterium urinimassiliense sp. nov., a new bacterial species isolated from urine sample.

Strain Marseille-P3248т is a new species from the order Actinomycetales that was isolated from the urine sample of a girl aged 20 months with rotavirus gastroenteritis. It is a facultative anaerobic Gram-positive rod-shaped bacterium. Strain Marseille-P3248т exhibits 94.73% sequence similarity with Arcanobacterium pluranimalium strain M430/94/2, a phylogenetically related species with standing in nomenclature. Its genome size is 1 667 964 bp with 49.1% G + C content. Strain Marseille-P3248т (= CSURP3248) is the type strain of the new species Arcanobacterium urinimassiliense sp. nov.

Luxibacter massiliensis gen. nov., sp. nov., a new bacterium isolated from the human gut microbiota.

An anaerobic facultative Gram-stain positive bacterium was isolated from human gut microbiota. Strain Marseille-P5551T was considered to be a new genus within the phylum Firmicutes, as it exhibits a 91.87% similarity level with Faecalicatena orotica (NR_117129.1), the phylogenetically closest related species. The draft genome size of strain Marseille-P5551T is 4 142 938 bp with 44.4% of G + C content. We hereby suggest the creation of Luxibacter massiliensis gen. nov., sp. nov., as a new bacterial genus.

Virgibacillus ihumii sp. nov., a new bacterium isolated from the stool of healthy African children.

During a case-control study on severe acute malnutrition, strain Marseille-Q1233 was isolated. It is a Gram-positive, rod-shaped and halophilic bacillus isolated from a stool sample of Malian child under the age of 5. The fatty acid profile of the strain consisted of C15:0-anteiso and C14:0-iso as major components. Digital DNA-DNA hybridization and average nucleotide identity calculation showed 23.10% and 80.81% similarity respectively between strain Marseille-Q1233 and Virgibacillus siamensis strain Marseille-P2607, the phylogenetically closely related species with standing in nomenclature. On the basis of these results, we report the description of Virgibacillus ihumii sp. nov. strain Marseille-Q1233 as a new bacterial species.

Description of Gracilibacillus phocaeensis sp. nov., a new halophilic bacterium isolated from Senegalian human stool.

Using the taxonogenomics method, we describe Gracilibacillus phocaeensis strain Marseille-P3801, a new species previously isolated from a salty stool of a 20-year-old man from N'Diop, Senegal. It is a Gram-positive, aerobic and motile bacillus. The major fatty acids are C15:0-anteiso (59%), C16:0 (16%) and C17:0-anteiso (11%). Strain Marseille-P3801 exhibits a 98.45% sequence similarity with Gracilibacillus thailandensis strain TP2-8, the phylogenetically closest species. Its genome is 4.66 Mb with 39.6 mol% G + C content.

Two new bacteria isolated from vagina of a patient with vaginosis: Atopobium massiliense sp. nov. and Butyricimonas vaginalis sp. nov.

Two new bacterial strains, Marseille-P4126 (=CSURP4126) and Marseille-P4593 (=CSURP4593), were isolated from the vaginal sample of a French woman with vaginosis. These strains were identified and characterized using the taxonogenomics method. The findings from phylogenetic tree interpretation, phenotypic criteria and genomic analysis provided here distinctly display that Atopobium massiliense sp. nov. and Butyricimonas vaginalis sp. nov. are new members of the genus Atopobium and Butyricimonas, respectively.

Taxonogenomics description of Bacillus dakarensis sp. nov., Bacillus sinesaloumensis sp. nov. and Bacillus massiliogabonensis sp. nov., three new species isolated from human stools.

Using microbial culturomics, three Bacillus strains were isolated, identified and characterized following the taxonogenomics strategy. Bacillus dakarensis strain Marseille-P3515T (=CSURP3515), Bacillus sinesaloumensis strain Marseille-P3516T (=CSURP3516), and Bacillus massiliogabonensis strain Marseille-P2639T (=CSURP2639) were isolated from human stool samples. The phylogenetic analysis, phenotypic characteristics and genotypic data presented here prove that these three bacteria are different from previously known bacterial species with standing in nomenclature and represent new Bacillus species.

Description of Clostridium cagae sp. nov., Clostridium rectalis sp. nov. and Hathewaya massiliensis sp. nov., new anaerobic bacteria isolated from human stool samples.

Using culturomics methods, three strains were isolated, identified and characterized following the taxonogenomics concept. Clostridium cagae strain Marseille-P4344T (=CSURP4344), Clostridium rectalis strain Marseille-P4200T (=CSURP4200) and Hathewaya massiliensis strain Marseille-P3545T (=CSURP3545) were isolated from human stool samples. The phylogenetic reconstruction, phenotypic criteria and genomic analyses were carried out and demonstrated that these three bacteria are different from previously known bacterial species with standing in nomenclature and were classified as new members of the Clostridiaceae family.

Genome sequence and description of Urinicoccus timonensis gen. nov., sp. nov., a new bacterium isolated from a human stool sample.

Urinicoccus timonensis gen. nov., sp. nov. strain Marseille-P3926T is a new species from the phylum Firmicutes and the family Peptoniphilaceae that was isolated from a human faeces sample. Genome was 1 978 908 bp long with a 41.1 G + C content. The closest species based on 16S ribosomal RNA was Peptoniphilus ivorii DSM 10022 with 90.8% sequence similarity. Considering phenotypic features, 16S rRNA sequence and comparative genome studies, we proposed Marseille- P3926T as the strain type of Urinicoccus timonensis gen. nov., sp. nov.

Halobacillus ihumii sp. nov., a new bacterium isolated from stool of healthy children living in Mali.

Strain Marseille-Q1234T is a new species from the genus Halobacillus that was isolated in 2019 from a stool sample in a healthy Malian child <5 years old. Cells are Gram-positive and strictly halophilic bacilli. Strain Marseille-Q1234T exhibits 98.46% 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity to Halobacillus naozhouensis strain JSM 071068T (NR_116505.1), the phylogenetically closely related species with standing in nomenclature. Based on the phenotypic and phylogenetic evidence, OrthoANI values and results of the biochemical tests, the new species is named Halobacillus ihumii sp. nov., for which strain Marseille-Q1234T (= CSURQ1234) is proposed as the type strain.

Detailed description of Senegalia massiliensis strain SIT17T , a bacterium isolated from the human gut.

Strain SIT17T was isolated from the stool of a healthy 13-month-old Senegalese boy. It is a Gram-positive, anaerobic, rod-shaped, non-spore-forming and mobile bacterium. It exhibited 92.74% 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity with the Brassicibacter thermophilus strain Cel2f, the phylogenetically most closely related species. Its genome is about 2.87 Mb long with 27.39 mol% G + C content. We provide more details of Senegalia massiliensis strain SIT17T (= CSURP2130 = DSM 103071), the creation of which was previously announced.

Megasphaera vaginalis sp. nov. and Anaerococcus vaginimassiliensis sp. nov., new bacteria isolated from vagina of French woman with bacterial vaginosis.

Using the culturomics method, two strains were isolated, identified and characterized following the taxonogenomics concept. Megasphaera vaginalis sp. nov. strain Marseille-P4512 (= CSURP4512) and Anaerococcus vaginimassiliensis sp. nov. strain Marseille-P4857 (= CSURP4857) were isolated from the vagina of a French woman. The phylogenic tree, phenotypic criteria and genomic analysis described here clearly show that these two bacteria are different from previously known bacterial species with standing in nomenclature and new members of Firmicutes phylum.

Description of Prevotella rectalis sp. nov., a new bacterium isolated from human rectum.

Using a taxonogenomics method, we describe here a Gram-negative bacterium named Prevotella rectalis sp. nov., strain Marseille-P4334T (= CSUR P4334) isolated from the rectum. Strain Marseille-P4334T has a genome that measure 3.03 Mbp with 43.3 mol% G + C content.

Anaerococcus marasmi sp. nov., a new bacterium isolated from human gut microbiota.

Anaerococcus marasmi sp. nov. strain Marseille-P3557T is a new species isolated from a stool of a Nigerian child with marasmus. The genome of Marseille-P3557T was 2 130 060 bp long (35.4% G + C content). The closest species based on 16S ribosomal RNA sequence was Anaerococcus prevotii strain 20548, with 97.6% sequence similarity. Considering phenotypic features and comparative genome studies, we propose the strain Marseille-P3557T as the type strain of Anaerococcus marasmi sp. nov., a new species within the genus Anaerococcus.

Parabacteroides pacaensis sp. nov. and Parabacteroides provencensis sp. nov., two new species identified from human gut microbiota.

Strains Marseille-P4001 and Marseille-P3668 are new species from the order Bacteroidales isolated from healthy French volunteers. They are anaerobic Gram-negative rod-shaped bacteria. They exhibited 92.68% and 96.68% 16S rRNA sequence identities with Parabacteroides gordonii strain MS-1 and Parabacteroides chinchillae JCM 17104, respectively, the phylogenetically closest species. Their respective draft genomes measured 5.23 Mb and 3.73 Mb with 39.2 mol% and 40.8 mol% of G + C content. Using a taxonogenomics method, we propose here a brief description of Parabacteroides pacaensis sp. nov., strain Marseille-P4001T and Parabacteroides provencensis sp. nov., strain Marseille-P3668T as new bacterial species.

Corynebacterium dentalis sp. nov., a new bacterium isolated from dental plaque of a woman with periodontitis.

Strain Marseille-P4122T is a new species from the order Corynebacteriales that was isolated from the dental plaque of a woman with periodontitis. It is a facultative anaerobic Gram-positive rod-shaped bacterium. Strain Marseille-P4122T exhibited a 98.19% sequence identity with Corynebacterium suicordis strain P81/02, the phylogenetically closely related species with standing in nomenclature. The draft genome size of strain Marseille-P4122T is 2.49 Mb with 60.1% G + C content. We propose that strain Marseille-P4122T (=CSURP4122) is the type strain of the new species Corynebacterium dentalis sp. nov.