C H A P T E R V I I
Serological Identification of
Atypical Mycobacteria
WERNER B. SCHAEFER~
National Jewish Hospital and Research Center,
Denver, Colorado 80206, U.S.A.
I. Introduction .
. 323
11. Classification of the Atypical Mycobacteria .
. 324
A. Mycobacteriunt kansasii .
. 324
B. Mycobacterium marinum .
.
. 325
C. Mycobacterium szulgai
.
. 325
D. Mycobacterium avium and Mycobacterium intracellulare
. 326
E. Mycobacterium scrofulaceum
.
. 329
F. Mycobacterium xenopi
.
. 329
G. Mycobacterium simiae
.
,
329
H. The rapidly growing mycobacteria .
. 330
I. Mycobacterium gastri, Mycobacterium terrae, Mycobacterium
triviale and Mycobacterium gordonae
. 330
111. Methodology of Serotyping Atypical Mycobacteria
.
. 331
A. Culture of Mycobacteria and preparation of suspensions
. 331
B. Preparation of type-specific antisera .
. 331
C. Serotyping procedure
.
. 332
D. Interpretation of results .
. 332
E. Agglutinin absorption test
.
. 332
F. Preparation of absorbed antisera
.
. 334
IV. Chemistry of the Type-specific Antigens
.
. 334
V. The Protoplasmic Antigens
.
. 335
VII. Epidemiology .
. 337
VI. Ecology
. 336
References
. 341
I. INTRODUCTION
During the past 25 years it has become evident that tuberculosis-like
diseases due to mycobacteria other than tubercle bacilli are more frequent
than was assumed earlier. The mycobacteria concerned are heterogeneous.
They have been called “atypical mycobacteria” (McDermott, 1965) and
-t. Deceased.