Mycobacterium asiaticum
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Mycobacterium asiaticum is a slowly growing photochromogenic mycobacterium first isolated from monkeys in 1965. M. asiaticum can, but rarely, causes human pulmonary disease.
Description
Microscopy
- Gram-positive, nonmotile, acid-fast, coccoid rods.
Colony characteristics
- Dysgonic and yellow photochromogenic (pigment not produced in the dark) colonies.
Physiology
- Slow growth on Löwenstein-Jensen medium at 37°C after 15-21 days.
Differential characteristics
- Unique 16S rRNA sequence.
- Biochemically M. asiaticum (photochromogenic) and Mycobacterium gordonae (scotochromogenic) can only by the mode of pigmentation.
Pathogenesis
- Rarely causes human pulmonary disease.
Type Strain
- First isolated from monkeys in 1965.
- Strain ATCC 25276 = CCUG 29115 = CIP 106809 = DSM 44297 = JCM 6409.
References
SKERMAN (V.B.D.), McGOWAN (V.) and SNEATH (P.H.A.) (editors): Approved Lists of Bacterial Names. Int. J. Syst. Bacteriol., 1980, 30, 225-420. [WEISZFEILER (J.), KARASSEVA (G.V.) and KARCZAG (E.): A new Mycobacterium species: Mycobacterium asiaticum n. sp. Acta Microbiologica Academiae Scientiarum Hungaricae, 1971, 18, 247-252.]
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