Image of Mycobacterium fortuitum

Description:

Under a magnification of 3841X, this scanning electron micrograph SEM) revealed some of the ultrastructural morphologic details exhibited by a number of Gram-positive bacilli, or rod-shaped, Mycobacterium fortuitum bacteria. See PHIL 11032 for a black and white version of this image.

M. fortuitum is classified as a rapidly-growing Mycobacterium, due to the fact that it can be grown on laboratory culture medium in less than 7 days. As a human pathogen, this organism has been determined to be the cause of skin infections, including furunculosis, i.e., boils, on the legs of people receiving pedicures in nail salons.
Created: 2009