Mycobacterium hiberniae

Mycobacterium hiberniae

Etymology Hibernia, Latin for Ireland where it was first isolated.

Description
Polymorphic, beaded, gram-positive, nonmotile and acid-fast rods (0.9µm x 1.2-1.5µm).

Colony characteristics
 * Smooth and glistening colonies with rose-pink pigmentation but become rough and dry later. Colonies with unique pigment production are 1-1.5mm in diameter.

Physiology
 * Slow growth on Löwenstein-Jensen medium and Middlebrook 7H10 agar at 37°C (range: 22-37°C). No growth at 42°C.
 * Resistant to isoniazid, rifampin, and streptomycin
 * Sensitive to ethambutol.

Differential characteristics
 * M. hiberniae has unusual rose-pink pigmentation, which is unique in the genus Mycobacterium.

Pathogenesis

 * Not pathogenic
 * Provokes a nonspecific skin hypersensitivity reaction to bovine tuberculin.
 * Biosafety level 1

Type Strain
Strain Hi 11 = ATCC 49874 = CIP 104537 = DSM 44241 = JCM 13571.
 * First isolated from true moss, sphagnum and soil in Ireland