Mycobacterium brumae

Mycobacterium brumae is a rapidly growing environmental mycobacterial species identified in 1993. Aside from one 2004 report of a catheter related bloodstream infection no other infections by this organism have been reported. It was first isolated from water, soil and one human sputum sample in Spain.

Description
Microscopy
 * Gram-positive, nonmotile, mostly strongly acid-fast rods, 2.0-2.5µm long and 0.3 to 0.5µm wide.

Colony characteristics
 * Flat, rough, and undulated yellow, nonphotochromogenic colonies

Physiology
 * Rapid growth occurs within 5 days at 25°C, 30°C and 37°C, but not at 45°C on Löwenstein-Jensen medium and Middlebrook 7H10 agar.
 * Production of thermostable catalase.
 * Positive for β-glucosidase, nitrate reductase, penicillinase, trehalase, urease and iron uptake.
 * Tween 80 hydrolysis after 10 days.
 * No accumulation of niacin, no degradation of salicylate to catechol.
 * No growth on MacConkey agar without crystal violet.

Pathogenesis

 * In 2004 a patient with breast cancer was reported to have a catheter related bloodstream infection.

Type Strain

 * First isolated from water, soil and human sputum samples in Barcelona, Spain.
 * Strain CR-270 = ATCC 51384 = CCUG 37586 = CIP 103465 = DSM 44177 = JCM 12273.