非定型抗酸菌Group IV Rapid Growersに関する研究

A collection of nonphotochromogenic, rapidly growing, acid-fast bacilli isolated from nature was analyzed on the basis of the Adansonian classification proposed by Sneath (1957).Of ninety-one strains used, seventy-eight (86 per cent) were classified as M. fortuitum. Of these, fifty-nine of sixty-six strains studied selectively (89 per cent) were isolates: sixteen of twenty-one (76 per cent) were sewage isolates; one of one was river water isolate; two of three were sea water isolates. Most of these fresh isolates were identified as M. fortuitum. Their biological and biochemical characteristics were compatible with those of the disease-associated strains. Only two strains were recognized to beof M. smegmatis. Eleven of the remaining strains could not be classified by the methods used. No strains of M. abscessus were observed. This result suggests that this organism may hardly or not existin nature.M. runyonii (Bojalil et al., 1962) has been listed as a synonym of M. abscessus (Moore et al., 1953). The name M. abscessus is valid, since it has priority.There was a close relationship between M. abscessus and M. borstelense.