Progress in research in species identification methods of Cronobacter spp.

Cronobacter spp.,formerly named as Enterobacter sakazakii,is the main pathogenic bacteria contaminating infant formula and causing neonatal meningitis,sepsis and necrotizing enterocolitis in neonates. Recent classification indicated that Cronobacter spp. has seven different species and the differences in genome and pathogenicity were found among the different species. So the species identification is the basis of the research of Cronobacter spp. and has great significance for the further understanding of the Cronobacter spp. In recent years,in addition to the traditional biochemical method,a series of molecular biology method are also applied in the species identification of Cronobacter spp.. This paper summarizes the biological characteristics of Cronobacter spp. and introduces methods for the species identification of Cronobacter spp. for the better understanding of methods to identify Cronobacter spp. at species level and for the future research of Cronobacter spp.