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Slow growing non-pigmented skin-infecting species; first isolates grow only at 33°C. A species that causes infections of skin and its underlying soft tissues. It is a common cause of illness in tropical and subtropical Africa and South America, where it is responsible for Buruli ulcer. It is thought to be the third most common disease-causing…

The causative organism of tuberculosis in man. Straight or slightly curved bacillus some 3 x 0.3 μm; shorter or longer forms occur on culture. Acid – and alcohol-fast, and may show beading. Grows slowly (2-4 weeks) on egg media; very infective to guinea-pigs, less so to rabbits. The causative agent of tuberculosis in humans. A…

Rapid growing saprophyte, at temperatures 18° 45°C; pigmented on occasion. Found in labial and preputial secretions and in urine.  

Slow growing mesophile, scotochromogenic though not necessarily strongly so. Associated with scrofula and less frequently with pulmonary infection.  

Red pigmented saprophytic organism weakly acid-fast, non- fastidious of cultivation; possibly Nocardia rather than Mycobacteria.  

The Timothy grass bacillus, a ubiquitous saprophytic organism growing rapidly on unspecialized media and at temperatures from 20° C to 52° C; frequently pigmented. A species that is gram-positive, aerobic, fast-growing, photochromogenic, and nonpathogenic, commonly found in grasses and soil.  

Species associated with enteritis in cattle and sheep. Slow, difficult growth is aided by including in the egg medium sterilized bacillary masses of other mycobacteria such as phlei.  

Vole-infecting mycobacterium; a slow grower of irregular morphology. Antigenic properties similar to those of tuberculosis and has been used to immunize against both the latter and bovis.

Photochromic, fish-infecting species of tropical origin, rapid grower at 37°C. Transmissible to man, especially to handlers of tropical fish. An atypical mycobacterium that thrives in water, and produces skin infection resembling sporotrichosis. It is the cause of swimming pool granuloma.  

Causative organism of leprosy. Less acid-fast then tuberculosis. Not so far cultivated successfully, and not transmissible to animals. Diagnosis is by demonstrating the bacilli in stained preparations of nasal mucus, skin, etc., using 5 per cent sulphuric acid instead of the 20 per cent solution normally employed in the Ziehl-Neelsen method.