Name: Serpulina intermedia Stanton et al. 1997

Category: Species

Proposed as: sp. nov.

Etymology: in.ter.me’di.a. L. fem. adj. intermedia, that is between, intermediate, referring to the fact that the biochemical reactivities of this organism are intermediate between those characteristically possessed by Serpulina hyodysenteriae and by Serpulina innocens

Pronunciation, gender: in-ter-ME-di-a, feminine

Type strain: ATCC 51140; CIP 105833; PWS/A

See detailed strain information at

Conduct genome-based taxonomy at

16S rRNA gene: EF488166 Analyse FASTA

Valid publication: Stanton TB, Fournie-Amazouz E, Postic D, Trott DJ, Grimont PA, Baranton G, Hampson DJ, Saint Girons I. Recognition of two new species of intestinal spirochetes: Serpulina intermedia sp. nov. and Serpulina murdochii sp. nov. Int J Syst Bacteriol 1997; 47:1007-1012.

IJSEM list: Anonymous. Notification list. Notification that new names and new combinations have appeared in volume 47, part 4 of the IJSB. Int J Syst Bacteriol 1998; 48:329-330.

Nomenclatural status: validly published under the ICNP

Taxonomic status: synonym (and not recommended for medical use)

Correct name: Brachyspira intermedia (Stanton et al. 1997) Hampson and La 2006

Risk group: 2

• Synonyms:

  • Name	Kind
    Brachyspira intermedia (Stanton et al. 1997) Hampson and La 2006	homotypic synonym, validly published under the ICNP
    "Serpulina intermedius" Lee et al. 1993	homotypic synonym, not validly published

• Notes:
  • ❗ Serpulina intermedia is the correct name instead if this species is regarded as a separate species (i.e., if its nomenclatural type is not assigned to another species whose name is validly published, legitimate and not rejected and has priority) within a separate genus Serpulina.
  • 😷 The risk group for Belgium has been imported on 2024-02-05. The full classification is: risk group = 1, note = "animal pathogen - biological class of risk animal: 2". — The risk group for Canada has been imported on 2024-02-27. The full classification is: risk group = 1, note = "Animal classification RG: 2 - Security sensitive biological agent: No - Terrestrial animal pathogen under Canadian Food Inspection Agency authority: No - Containment level: Containment Level 2". — The risk group for Swiss Confederation has been imported on 2024-02-01. The full classification is: risk group = 2, note = "PV". — The risk group for Germany has been imported on 2023-10-29. The full classification is: risk group = 2, note = "t". — If in doubt, use the risk group given in the regulations for your country and, if these are not available, use the risk group given in the catalogue of the culture collection from which you have obtained or intend to obtain the strain.
  • 🎓 Name mentioned 13 times in PubMed until 2025-06-04.
  • 🙅 This name is on the List of Recommended Names for bacteria of medical importance (LoRN) as a synonym of the name to be applied to this species. The name is on LoRN because of the recorded risk group of the species itself.
  • 🧍 In January 1998, the unification of the genera Serpulina and Brachyspira, and the transfer of Serpulina hyodysenteriae (the type species of the genus Serpulina) in the genus Brachyspira as Brachyspira hyodysenteriae, have been validly published [1]. Publication: Anonymous. Validation list no. 64. Validation of publication of new names and new combinations previously effectively published outside the IJSB. Int J Syst Bacteriol 1998; 48:327-328.
  • 🧍 The formal reclassification of Serpulina intermedia in the genus Brachyspira Hovind-Hougen et al. 1983 was proposed by Hampson and La 2006 [4]. Publication: Hampson DJ, La T. Reclassification of Serpulina intermedia and Serpulina murdochii in the genus Brachyspira as Brachyspira intermedia comb. nov. and Brachyspira murdochii comb. nov. Int J Syst Evol Microbiol 2006; 56:1009-1012.
  • 🧍 The name Serpulina intermedia has been validly published in the October 1997 issue of the International Journal of Systematic Bacteriology [3] and, of course, this name was not included in the study by Ochiai et al. Publication: Stanton TB, Fournie-Amazouz E, Postic D, Trott DJ, Grimont PA, Baranton G, Hampson DJ, Saint Girons I. Recognition of two new species of intestinal spirochetes: Serpulina intermedia sp. nov. and Serpulina murdochii sp. nov. Int J Syst Bacteriol 1997; 47:1007-1012.
  • 🧍 These changes have been proposed by Ochiai et al. in a paper accepted March 27, 1997 [2]. Publication: Ochiai S, Adachi Y, Mori K. Unification of the genera Serpulina and Brachyspira, and proposals of Brachyspira hyodysenteriae Comb. Nov., Brachyspira innocens Comb. Nov. and Brachyspira pilosicoli Comb. Nov. Microbiol Immunol 1997; 41:445-452.

Parent taxon: Serpulina Stanton 1992

Assigned by: Stanton TB, Fournie-Amazouz E, Postic D, Trott DJ, Grimont PA, Baranton G, Hampson DJ, Saint Girons I. Recognition of two new species of intestinal spirochetes: Serpulina intermedia sp. nov. and Serpulina murdochii sp. nov. Int J Syst Bacteriol 1997; 47:1007-1012.

Linking: To permanently link to this page, use https://lpsn.dsmz.de/species/serpulina-intermediaCopy to clipboardLink copied to clipboard

Record number: 784881