According to the Subcommittee on the taxonomy of Brucella [Gargani and Lopez-Merino (2006), Corbel and Moriyon (2006)], the nomenclature proposed by the Manchester meeting [ICSB Subcommittee on the Taxonomy of Brucella (1988)] has not found widespread support. During its meeting, 17 September 2003, Pamplona, Spain [Osterman and Moriyon (2006)], the Subcommittee on the taxonomy of Brucella agreed unanimously upon a proposal by B. Osterman on a return to pre-1986 taxonomic opinion on the genus Brucella, without any objections or reservations. The fact to recognize a monospecific genus [i.e. Brucella melitensis (Hughes 1893) Meyer and Shaw 1920 (Approved Lists 1980) emend. Verger et al. 1985] or a multispecific genus (i.e. the six species cited in the Approved Lists of Bacterial Names) is a matter of taxonomic opinion. Consequently, according to his/her scientific opinion, a bacteriologist may use the one species concept or the six species concept.

Bruce, D. "Sur une nouvelle forme de fievre rencontree sur les bords de la Mediterranee." Ann. Inst. Pasteur (Paris) (1893) 7:289-304. [No PubMed record available.]

Corbel, M.J., and Moriyn, I. "International Committee on Systematic Bacteriology Subcommittee on the taxonomy of Brucella. Minutes of the meeting, 5 and 7 July 1994, Prague, Czech Republic." Int. J. Syst. Evol. Microbiol. (2006) 56(5):1169-1170.

Ficht, T.A., Husseinen, H.S., Derr, J., and Bearden, S.W. "Species-specific sequences at the omp2 locus of Brucella type strains." Int. J. Syst. Bacteriol. (1996) 46:329-331.

Hughes, M.L. "The natural history of certain fevers occurring in the Mediterranean." Mediterranean Nat. (1893) 2:325-327. [No PubMed record available.]

Gargani, G., and López-Merino, A. "International Committee on Systematic Bacteriology Subcommittee on the taxonomy of Brucella. Correspondence Report (Interim Report), 1991-1993." Int. J. Syst. Evol. Microbiol. (2006) 56(5):1167-1168.

ICSB, Subcommittee on the Taxonomy of Brucella "Report of the meeting, 5 September 1986, Manchester, England." Int. J. Syst. Bacteriol. (1988) 38(4):450-452. (Note: Brucella is a monotypic genus (B. melitensis). However, the nomen species B. abortus, B. canis, B. neotomae, B. ovis, and B. suis can be retained for nontaxonomic purposes to avoid confusion.)

Meyer, K.F., and Shaw, E.B. "A comparison of the morphologic, cultural and biochemical characteristics of B. abortus and B. melitensis." J. Infect. Dis. (1920) 27:173-184. [No PubMed record available.]

Osterman, B., and Moriyón, I. "International Committee on Systematics of Prokaryotes Subcommittee on the taxonomy of Brucella. Minutes of the meeting, 17 September 2003, Pamplona, Spain." Int. J. Syst. Evol. Microbiol. (2006) 56(5):1173-1175. [No PubMed record available.]

Skerman, V.B.D., McGowan, V., and Sneath, P.H.A. (editors). "Approved lists of bacterial names." Int. J. Syst. Bacteriol. (1980) 30(1):225-420. [No PubMed record available.]

Verger, J.-M., Grimont, F., Grimont, P.A.D., and Grayon, M. "Brucella, a monospecific genus as shown by deoxyribonucleic acid hybridization." Int. J. Syst. Bacteriol. (1985) 35(3):292-295.

Wayne, L. G., Brenner, D.J., Colwell, R.R., Grimont, P.A.D., Kandler, O., Krichevsky, M.I., Moore, L.H., Moore, W.E.C., Murray, R.G.E., Stackebrandt, E., Starr, M.P., and Truper, H.G. "Report of the ad hoc committee on reconciliation of approaches to bacterial systematics." Int. J. Syst. Bacteriol. (1987) 37(4):463-464.