Mycobacterium microti

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Mycobacterium microti
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Bacteria Phylum: Actinobacteria Order: Actinomycetales Suborder: Corynebacterineae Family: Mycobacteriaceae Genus: Mycobacterium Species: M. microti
Binomial name
Mycobacterium microti Reed 1957, ATCC 19422

Mycobacterium microti

• Member of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTBC)
• Also known as the 'Vole bacillus'
• Etymology: microtus is a genus that includes the vole.

Contents 1 Description 2 Pathogenesis 3 Type Strain 4 References

[edit] Description

Gram-positive, nonmotile and acid-fast rods.

Colony characteristics

• Variable colony morphology, buff in colour, either rough or smooth.

Physiology

• Growth on glycerol-free egg media at 37°C within 28-60 days. May adapt tolerance to glycerol.
• Sensitive to isoniazid, ethambutol, rifampin, streptomycin and pyrazinamide.

Differential characteristics

• A commercial hybridisation assay (AccuProbe) to identify members of the M. tuberculosis complex exists.
• All members of the M. tuberculosis complex share identical 16S rDNA and internal transcribed spacers (ITS) sequences
• But molecular differentiation is possible by gyrB sequence polymorphism

[edit] Pathogenesis

• Cause of naturally acquired generalised tuberculosis in voles.
• Recently van Soolingen et al. reported about the first infections among humans caused by M. microti
• Losing pathogenicity on repeated subculture.
• Biosafety level 3

[edit] Type Strain

Strain ATCC 19422 = CIP 104256 = NCTC 8710.

[edit] References

• Reed,G. 1957. Genus Mycobacterium (species affecting warm-blooded animals except those causing leprosy), In: R.S. BREED, E.G.D. MURRAY and N.R. SMITH (eds): Bergey's Manual of Determinative Bacteriology, 7th edition, The Williams & Wilkins Co, Baltimore, 1957, p. 703-704.
• van Soolingen et al., 1998. J. Clin. Microbiol. 36: 1840-1845.