Taxonomy and systematics of pathogenic microorganisms

The modern state of the problem of the systematics of microorganisms is analyzed and the data on the taxonomy of bacteria belonging to the family Enterobacteriaceae are presented. The importance of studies on the taxonomy of microorganisms is emphasized. These studies play a vital role in the development of diagnostic preparations and techniques for the identification of infective agents, as well as in the realization of epidemiological surveillance. Much attention is given to the works of Soviet microbiologists, discussing such problems as the unification of the classification scheme of dysentery bacteria, the intraspecific taxonomy of Francisella tularensis, the systematic position of Allomonas and the antigenic scheme of Hafnia, included into Bergey's Determinative Bacteriology, edition IX (1984).