Name: Propionibacterium acnes subsp. acnes (Gilchrist 1900) McDowell et al. 2016

Category: Subspecies

Proposed as: subsp. nov.

Basonym: "Bacillus acnes" Gilchrist 1900

Etymology: ac’nes. Gr. fem. n. akmê, a point; N.L. gen. fem. n. acnes, inaccurately transliterated as acne, of acne

Pronunciation, gender: … AK-nes, neuter

Type strain: ATCC 6919; CCUG 1794; CIP 53.117; DSM 1897; JCM 6425; LMG 16711; NCTC 737; NRRL B-4224; VKM Ac-1450

See detailed strain information at

Valid publication: McDowell A, Barnard E, Liu J, Li H, Patrick S. Emendation of Propionibacterium acnes subsp. acnes (Deiko et al. 2015) and proposal of Propionibacterium acnes type II as Propionibacterium acnes subsp. defendens subsp. nov. Int J Syst Evol Microbiol 2016; 66:5358-5365. 🇬🇧

IJSEM list: Oren A, Garrity GM. Notification list. Notification that new names and new combinations have appeared in volume 66, part 12 of the IJSEM. Int J Syst Evol Microbiol 2017; 67:525-528.

Nomenclatural status: validly published under the ICNP, illegitimate name

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

Correct name: Cutibacterium acnes subsp. acnes (Gilchrist 1900) Nouioui et al. 2018

Risk group: 2

• Synonyms:

  • Name	Kind
    Propionibacterium acnes subsp. acnes (Gilchrist 1900) Dekio et al. 2015	homotypic synonym, validly published under the ICNP
    Cutibacterium acnes subsp. acnes (Gilchrist 1900) Nouioui et al. 2018	homotypic synonym, validly published under the ICNP

• Notes:
  • 🙋 This subspecies could be automatically created (rule 40d) by the valid publication of Propionibacterium acnes subsp. elongatum McDowell et al. 2016 but an explicit description was also provided. Publication: McDowell A, Barnard E, Liu J, Li H, Patrick S. Emendation of Propionibacterium acnes subsp. acnes (Deiko et al. 2015) and proposal of Propionibacterium acnes type II as Propionibacterium acnes subsp. defendens subsp. nov. Int J Syst Evol Microbiol 2016; 66:5358-5365. 🇬🇧
  • 🙋 This subspecies could be automatically created (rule 40d) by the valid publication of Propionibacterium acnes subsp. defendens McDowell et al. 2016 but an explicit description was also provided. Publication: McDowell A, Barnard E, Liu J, Li H, Patrick S. Emendation of Propionibacterium acnes subsp. acnes (Deiko et al. 2015) and proposal of Propionibacterium acnes type II as Propionibacterium acnes subsp. defendens subsp. nov. Int J Syst Evol Microbiol 2016; 66:5358-5365. 🇬🇧
  • 😷 The risk group for Germany has been imported on 2023-10-29. The full classification is: risk group = 2, note = "TA". — 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.
  • 🙅 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 subspecies. The name is on LoRN because of the recorded risk group of the species itself.
  • 🧍 Later isonym of Propionibacterium acnes subsp. acnes (Gilchrist 1900) Dekio et al. 2015. Publication: Dekio I, Culak R, Misra R, Gaulton T, Fang M, Sakamoto M, Ohkuma M, Oshima K, Hattori M, Klenk HP, et al. Dissecting the taxonomic heterogeneity within Propionibacterium acnes: proposal for Propionibacterium acnes subsp. acnes subsp. nov. and Propionibacterium acnes subsp. elongatum subsp. nov. Int J Syst Evol Microbiol 2015; 65:4776-4787. 🇯🇵

Parent taxon: Propionibacterium acnes (Gilchrist 1900) Douglas and Gunter 1946 (Approved Lists 1980)

Assigned by: McDowell A, Barnard E, Liu J, Li H, Patrick S. Emendation of Propionibacterium acnes subsp. acnes (Deiko et al. 2015) and proposal of Propionibacterium acnes type II as Propionibacterium acnes subsp. defendens subsp. nov. Int J Syst Evol Microbiol 2016; 66:5358-5365. 🇬🇧

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Record number: 13668