MYCOBACTERIUM CONFLUENTIS

'''Mycobacterium confluentis''' is a non-pathogenic bacterium of the oral cavity.

Contents

Description

Pathogenesis

Type Strain

References

Description

Gram-positive, nonmotile, acid-fast coccobacillus (0.5-0.8µm x 0.7-1.7µm), does not form spores, capsules or aerial hyphae.
'Physiology.'

★ Rapid growth within 2 to 4 days on Löwenstein-Jensen media at 22°C, 31°C, 37°C and 41°C (optimum growth between 31°C and 37°C).

★ In vitro susceptibility to isoniazid, ethambutol and streptomycin.
'Differential characteristics.'

★ Differentiation from other thermotolerant mycobacteria by its inability to grow at temperatures of more than 41°C.

★ Separation from other rapidly growing mycobacteria by its susceptibility to antituberculotic drugs.

★ Differentiated from the phenotypic closely related M. thermoresistibile by its inability to grow at 52°C.

Pathogenesis

Not associated with disease. Biosafety level 1.

Type Strain

First isolated from sputum, Koblenz, Germany.
strain 1389/90 = ATCC 49920 = CIP 105510 = DSM 44017 = JCM 13671.

References

★ 'Kirschner et al.' 1992. Mycobacterium confluentis sp. nov. Int. J. Syst. Bacteriol., 42, 257-262.