121
similarity in excess of 85 %. Thus, from this similarity together with the results of
mycolic acid determination (the fi sh isolates were identical with Myc. chelonei
subsp. chelonei and Myc. chelonei subsp. abscessus when examined by twodimensional thin-layer chromatography of acid methanolysates), it was proposed to
establish a new subspecies, i.e. Myc. chelonei subsp. piscarium. Nevertheless to
date, this subspecies has not been formally proposed in the refereed scientifi c literature, and the revival of the name Myc. salmoniphilum may well see the subspecies
disappear from the scientifi c literature.
Myc. chelonae is slowly increasing in signifi cance in farmed fi sh. For example,
Myc. chelonae isolates, not allocated to subspecies, were recovered from diseased
Atlantic salmon in two farms in Shetland (Bruno et al. 1998 ). Also, the organism
has ben associated with mycobacteriosis in an abscessed adult captive yellow stingray ( Urobatis jamaicensis ) (Clarke et al. 2013 ).
Myc. gordonae was described as comprising acid-fast rod-shaped cells, which
was identifi ed presumptively by 16S rRNA sequencing (Sakai et al. 2005 ).
Myc. montefi orense was regarded as a cause of granulomatous skin lesions in
moray eels (Levi et al. 2003 ).
By examination of the hsp65 gene (97.4 % similarity to Myc. triplex) , smallsubunit rRNA genes, rRNA spacer regions and phenotypic traits, the organism was
linked to Myc. triplex , but was regarded as suffi ciently distinct to justify description
as a new species, i.e. Myc. montefi orense (Levi et al. 2003 ).
Myc. neoaurum was described by Backman et al. 1990 ):
Box 3.11: Mycobacterium montefi orense
Cultures comprise slow growing (20 weeks at 25 °C) non-chromogenic acid
fast coccobacilli (on blood agar) or rods (on Middlebrook agar), which do not
produce catalase or arylsulphatase, do not reduce nitrate, degrade Tween 80 or
urea, or grow at >30 °C (growth occurs at 25 °C) or in 5 % (w/v) NaCl (Levi
et al. 2003 ).
Box 3.12: Mycobacterium neoaurum
Contains yellow-pigmented acid-fast rods, which virtually fail to be stained
by the Gram’s method. Growth occurs on blood agar at room temperature (but
not at 37 °C) in 5–7 days, but not in 5 % (w/v) sodium chloride. Aryl sulphatase is produced. Resistance is recorded to penicillin. The cell wall chemotype
is IVA. Glycolated muramic acids, mycolic acids and MK-9, as the predominant isoprenoid quinone, are present (Backman et al. 1990 ).
Mycobacteriaceae Representatives
similarity in excess of 85 %. Thus, from this similarity together with the results of
mycolic acid determination (the fi sh isolates were identical with Myc. chelonei
subsp. chelonei and Myc. chelonei subsp. abscessus when examined by twodimensional thin-layer chromatography of acid methanolysates), it was proposed to
establish a new subspecies, i.e. Myc. chelonei subsp. piscarium. Nevertheless to
date, this subspecies has not been formally proposed in the refereed scientifi c literature, and the revival of the name Myc. salmoniphilum may well see the subspecies
disappear from the scientifi c literature.
Myc. chelonae is slowly increasing in signifi cance in farmed fi sh. For example,
Myc. chelonae isolates, not allocated to subspecies, were recovered from diseased
Atlantic salmon in two farms in Shetland (Bruno et al. 1998 ). Also, the organism
has ben associated with mycobacteriosis in an abscessed adult captive yellow stingray ( Urobatis jamaicensis ) (Clarke et al. 2013 ).
Myc. gordonae was described as comprising acid-fast rod-shaped cells, which
was identifi ed presumptively by 16S rRNA sequencing (Sakai et al. 2005 ).
Myc. montefi orense was regarded as a cause of granulomatous skin lesions in
moray eels (Levi et al. 2003 ).
By examination of the hsp65 gene (97.4 % similarity to Myc. triplex) , smallsubunit rRNA genes, rRNA spacer regions and phenotypic traits, the organism was
linked to Myc. triplex , but was regarded as suffi ciently distinct to justify description
as a new species, i.e. Myc. montefi orense (Levi et al. 2003 ).
Myc. neoaurum was described by Backman et al. 1990 ):
Box 3.11: Mycobacterium montefi orense
Cultures comprise slow growing (20 weeks at 25 °C) non-chromogenic acid
fast coccobacilli (on blood agar) or rods (on Middlebrook agar), which do not
produce catalase or arylsulphatase, do not reduce nitrate, degrade Tween 80 or
urea, or grow at >30 °C (growth occurs at 25 °C) or in 5 % (w/v) NaCl (Levi
et al. 2003 ).
Box 3.12: Mycobacterium neoaurum
Contains yellow-pigmented acid-fast rods, which virtually fail to be stained
by the Gram’s method. Growth occurs on blood agar at room temperature (but
not at 37 °C) in 5–7 days, but not in 5 % (w/v) sodium chloride. Aryl sulphatase is produced. Resistance is recorded to penicillin. The cell wall chemotype
is IVA. Glycolated muramic acids, mycolic acids and MK-9, as the predominant isoprenoid quinone, are present (Backman et al. 1990 ).
Mycobacteriaceae Representatives