Species now affiliated to genus Prevotella have been known for decades as an integral part of human oral cavity microbiota. They were frequently isolated from patients with periodontitis or from dental root canals but also from healthy subjects. With the exception of Prevotella intermedia, they were considered opportunistic pathogens, as they were isolated also from various bacterial abscesses from the head, neck, breast, skin and various other body sites. Consequently, Prevotella were not in the focus of research activities. On the other hand, the four species found in the rumen never caused any disease and seemed early on to be numerous and important part of the rumen ecosystem indicating this genus harbored bacteria with enormously diverse habitats and lifestyles. The purpose of this review is to illustrate the main research themes performed in Prevotella on a path from less noted oral bacteria and from hard to cultivate and study rumen organisms to important mutualistic bacteria in guts of various mammals warranting major research efforts.

现在隶属于普雷沃氏菌属的物种几十年来一直被认为是人类口腔微生物群的组成部分。它们经常从牙周炎患者或牙根管中分离出来，也从健康受试者中分离出来。除了中间普雷沃氏菌，它们被认为是机会性病原体，因为它们也从头部、颈部、乳房、皮肤和其他身体部位的各种细菌脓肿中分离出来。因此，普雷沃氏菌不是研究活动的重点。另一方面，在瘤胃中发现的四种物种从未引起任何疾病，并且在早期似乎是瘤胃生态系统中众多且重要的组成部分，表明该属含有栖息地和生活方式极其多样化的细菌。本综述的目的是说明在普雷沃氏菌中进行的主要研究主题，从鲜为人知的口腔细菌和难以培养和研究的瘤胃生物到各种哺乳动物肠道中重要的共生细菌，值得进行重大研究。