Mycobacterium microti
Description
Gram-positive, nonmotile and acid-fast rods.
Colony characteristics
- Variable colony morphology, buff in colour, either rough or smooth.
Physiology
Differential characteristics
- A commercial hybridisation assay (AccuProbe) to identify members of the M. tuberculosis complex exists.
- All members of the M. tuberculosis complex share identical 16S rDNA and internal transcribed spacers (ITS) sequences
- But molecular differentiation is possible by gyrB sequence polymorphism
Pathogenesis
- Cause of naturally acquired generalized tuberculosis in voles.
- Recently van Soolingen et al. reported about the first infections among humans caused by M. microti
- Losing pathogenicity on repeated subculture.
- Biosafety level 3
Type Strain
Strain ATCC 19422 = CIP 104256 = NCTC 8710.
References
- Reed,G. 1957. Genus Mycobacterium (species affecting warm-blooded animals except those causing leprosy), In: R.S. BREED, E.G.D. MURRAY and N.R. SMITH (eds): Bergey's Manual of Determinative Bacteriology, 7th edition, The Williams & Wilkins Co, Baltimore, 1957, p. 703-704.
- van Soolingen et al., 1998. J. Clin. Microbiol. 36: 1840-1845.
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