Mycobacterium alvei

Mycobacterium alvei is a species of the phylum actinobacteria (Gram-positive bacteria with high guanine and cytosine content, one of the dominant phyla of all bacteria), belonging to the genus mycobacterium.

Description

Gram-positive, nonmotile and acid-fast rods (1-3 µm x 0.5-0.7 µm).

Colony characteristics

• Colonies are eugonic, rough and nonpigmented.

Physiology

• Colonies occur within 5 days at 30°C (optimum temperature, no growth at 45°C) on Löwenstein-Jensen medium and on Middlebrook 7H10 agar.
• The type strain is resistant to D-cycloserine, streptomycin, isoniazid, rifampin, and thiacetazone
• The type strain is susceptible to kanamycin, capreomycin and high levels of isoniazid.

Differential characteristics

• Differentiation from all other mycobacterial species by its unusual mycolate pattern.

Pathogenesis

• Not associated with disease.
• Biosafety level 1

Type strain

First isolated from water samples, from soil and human sputum samples in Spain. Strain CR-21 = ATCC 51304 = CIP 103464 = DSM 44176 = JCM 12272.

References

• Ausina et al. 1992. Mycobacterium alvei sp. nov. Int. J. Syst. Bacteriol., 1992, 42, 529-535.