Mycolicibacterium confluentis

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

Description

Gram-positive, nonmotile, acid-fast coccobacillus (0.5-0.8 µm x 0.7-1.7 µm), 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. PMID 1374623