Yersinia fenwicki sp. nov., isolated from human clinical cases in Aotearoa | New Zealand and Australia

A Gram-negative bacillus isolated from human clinical cases in Aotearoa | New Zealand (NZ) and Australia was identified as a new species within the genus <i>Yersinia</i> based on genetic and phenotypic characteristics. This species demonstrated distinct biochemical differences in comparison to those typically reported for <i>Yersinia enterocolitica</i> (biotypes 1A, 1B, 2, 3, 4 and 5), including the ability to utilise raffinose and melibiose. Whole-genome sequencing data identified a total of 11 strains as a novel multi locus sequence type 598 (using the seven-gene McNally scheme). A closed genome for this species was obtained using Oxford Nanopore long-read sequencing, polished with high-accuracy Illumina short-read sequence data. Analysis of the 16S rRNA showed the closest similarity (98.36%) to <i>Yersinia hibernica</i> and <i>Yersinia artesiana</i>. Average nucleotide identity (ANI) values were below the threshold of ≤95% ANI when compared to the type strains of other <i>Yersinia</i> species, with <i>Y. enterocolitica</i> subsp. <i>enterocolitica</i> (94.1%) identified as the closest relative, thereby providing evidence that these strains should be considered as a novel species. The type strain is NZRM 4767^T <i>=</i>DSM 120367^T.