Mycobacterium canariasense

Mycobacterium canariasense is a rapidly growing, non-pigmented mycobacterium first isolated from blood samples obtained from 17 patients with febrile syndrome. Etymology: canariasense; referring to the Latin adjective of the Spanish islands where all strains were isolated.

Description
Microscopy
 * Weakly acid-fast rods.

Colony characteristics
 * Visible growth appears in 2–3 days as smooth, moist, shiny, non-pigmented colonies on Löwenstein-Jensen medium. Growth later develops a more yellowish, smooth, moist and shiny appearance.

Physiology of 5% NaCl.
 * Growth occurs at 30 and 37C, but not at 22, 42 or 45C.
 * Grows on MacConkey agar without crystal violet, but does not grow in the presence
 * Positive for arylsulfatase activity (3 days) and Tween 80 hydrolysis.
 * Produces a low level of heatstable catalase and is negative for reduction of nitrates.

Differential characteristics
 * The 16S rRNA and hsp65 gene sequences of M. canariasense are unique.
 * Most closely related to Mycobacterium diernhoferi and Mycobacterium mucogenicum.

Pathogenesis

 * First isolated from blood samples obtained from 17 patients with febrile syndrome in the Canary Islands.

Type Strain

 * Strain 502329T =CIP 107998T =CCUG 47953T