Mycobacterium madagascariense

Mycobacterium madagascariense

Etymology: madagascariense, relating to Madagascar where it was first isolated.

Description
Polymorphic, gram-positive, nonmotile and acid-fast rods.

Colony characteristics
 * Smooth and glistening colonies with yellow or orange pigmentation (1-2mm in diameter).

Physiology
 * Rapid growth on Löwenstein-Jensen medium and Middlebrook 7H10 agar at 31 °C. No growth at 37 °C or above.

Differential characteristics
 * Differentiated from Mycobacterium aurum and Mycobacterium obuense by its failure to grow at 37 °C

Pathogenesis

 * Not known to be pathogenic.
 * Biosafety level 1

Type strain
Strain P2 = ATCC 49865 = CIP 104538 = JCM 13574.
 * First isolated from three different sphagnum biotopes in Madagascar.