The order Flavobacteriales: ecological features and clinical significance in the development of human pathology: review

The article presents an overview of some representatives of the order Flavobacteriales, in particular clinically significant members of the family Weeksellaceae. Morphological, cultural, and biochemical properties of species important for medicine and biology, namely Chryseobacterium, Elizabethkingia, and Empedobacter, are described. Several physiological features are highlighted. Some data on the phylogeny of these organisms are given. Ecological characteristics are considered, and information about some pathogenic species for humans and animals is presented. Also, literature data on resistance to currently available antimicrobial drugs are given. Clinical cases of infections with bacteria of the genera Chryseobacterium, Elizabethkingia, and Empedobacter, features of the diseases caused, and data on the frequency of infections with these microorganisms are reported. Based on the analyzed data, it has been revealed that species belonging to the order Flavobacteriales may pose a risk to immunocompromised people, to patients with chronic diseases such as cystic fibrosis and oncology, and to infants and the elderly. It has been established that representatives of the order cause nosocomial infections. It has been also found that clinically significant species have intrinsic resistance to a wide range of antimicrobials, and therefore the selection of etiotropic therapy is difficult.