Mycobacterium asiaticum

Mycobacterium asiaticum is a slowly growing photochromogenic mycobacterium first isolated from monkeys in 1965. M. asiaticum can, but rarely, causes human pulmonary disease.

Description
Microscopy
 * Gram-positive, nonmotile, acid-fast, coccoid rods.

Colony characteristics
 * Dysgonic and yellow photochromogenic (pigment not produced in the dark) colonies.

Physiology
 * Slow growth on Löwenstein-Jensen medium at 37°C after 15-21 days.

Differential characteristics
 * Unique 16S rRNA sequence.
 * Biochemically M. asiaticum (photochromogenic) and Mycobacterium gordonae (scotochromogenic) can only by the mode of pigmentation.

Pathogenesis

 * Rarely causes human pulmonary disease.

Type Strain

 * First isolated from monkeys in 1965.
 * Strain ATCC 25276 = CCUG 29115 = CIP 106809 = DSM 44297 = JCM 6409.