ARCHIVE FILE
This article was published in 1969-70
See the original document
CLASSIFICATION OF MYCOBACTERIA
C. WALKER, B.V.Sc., Veterinary Research Office, Glenfield
| Growth in Vitro | Negative | M. leprae | (grow in footpads of rabbits) |
| M. leptaemurium | |||
| Special Media only | M. johnei (very slow grower) | ||
| Slow | M. ulcerans (Aust.) | Skin Tb. | |
| M. buruli (Uganda) | |||
| M. tuberculosis | var homis | ||
| var bovis | |||
| var muris |
| Anonymous Mycobacteria | Runyon Classification | |
|---|---|---|
| (a) Other Slow Growers | ||
| Photochromogens | M. Kansasii | I |
| M. balnei - M. marinum | ||
| Scotochromogens | M. scrofulaceum (Non pathogenic Strains) | II |
| Non Chromogens or weak pigment producers | M. avium | III |
| M. xenopei - related to M. avium Battey bacillus | ||
| (b) Rapid Growers | ||
| Poikilotherms | M. fortuitum | IV |
| Psychrophils | Strains from cold blooded animals | IV |
| Saprophytes | M. phlei 52°C. + | IV |
| M. smegmatis | ||
| Mesophilic | Grow at 20°C.-37°C. |
| Psychrophilic | Grow at temperatures below 25°C. only. |
| Thermophilic | Grow at 44°C. |
| Photochromogen | Produce pigment in presence of light. |
| Scotochromogen | Produce pronounced yellow or orange pigment in both presence and absence of light. |
| Parvachromogen | Produce feeble yellow pigment in presence and absence of light. |
| Non-Chromogen | No pigment produced. |
| N medium | Special basal medium. |
| T.S.C. | Thiosemicarbazone. |
| Eth. | Ethionamide. |
| I.N.A. | Isoniazid. |
PROPERTIES OF 10 GROUPS OF MYCOBACTERIA
(After Collins, 1966)
| Group | Short Definition | Growth at °C. | Growth in | Production of | Runyon Classification | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| N | 20 µg | 6 µg | 0.4 µg | ||||||||
| 20 | 25 | 44 | Medium | T.S.C. | Eth. | I.N.A. | Catalase | Phosphate | |||
| Kansasii | Slow growing, Mesophilic Photochromogens | - | + | - | - | - | - | + | +++ | + or - | I |
| Scrofulaceum | Slow growing, Mesophilic, parvo- or Scotochromogens | - | + | - | - | - | - | + | + | - | II or III |
| Gordonae | Slow growing, Mesophilic Scotochromogens | Growth poor if any | + | - | - | + | + | + | +++ | + or - | II |
| Parvochromogens | Slow growing, Mesophilic Parvochromogens | - | + | - | - | + | + | + | + | + or - | III |
| Non-Chromogens (incl. Battey) | Slow growing, Mesophilic Non-Chromogens | Growth poor if any | + | - | - | + | + | + | + most strains | + most strains | III |
| Xenopei | Slow growing, Thermophilic, Parvochromogens | - | - | + | - | + | - | - | - | ++ | III |
| Avium | Slow growing, Thermophilic Non-Chromogens | - | + | + | _ | + | + | + | - | + or - | III |
| Phlei-Smegmatis | Rapid growing, Thermophilic Pigment variable | + | + | + | + | + | + | + | ++ | ++ | IV |
| Acapulcensis | Rapid growing, Mesophilic Scotochromogens | + | + | - | + | + | + | + | +++ | +++ | IV |
| Fortuitum | Rapid growing, Mesophilic Non-Chromogens | + | + | - | + | + | + | + | +++ | +++ | IV |
| M. tuberculosis | Slow growing, Mesophilic Non-Chromogens | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | ++ | - | - |