Mycobacterium iranicum sp. nov., a rapidly-growing scotochromogenic species isolated from clinical specimens on three different continents
1. Hasan Shojaei1,
2. Charles Daley2,
3. Zoe Gitti3,
4. Abodolrazagh Hashemi1,
5. Parvin Heidarieh1,
6. Edward R. B. Moore4,
7. Abbass Daei Naser1,
8. Cristina Russo5,
9. Jakko van Ingen6 and
10. Enrico Tortoli7,8
+ Author Affiliations
1.
1 Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran;
2.
2 National Jewish Health, Denver, CO, United States of America;
3.
3 University Hospital of Heraklion, Heraklion, Greece;
4.
4 Sahlgrenska Academy of the University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden;
5.
5 Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, Rome, Italy;
6.
6 Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre, Nijmegen, the Netherlands;
7.
7 Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
1. ↵8 E-mail:
e.tortoli@libero.it
* Received 10 April 2012.
* Accepted 13 July 2012.
Abstract
The isolation and characterization of a novel, rapidly-growing, scotochromogenic mycobacterial species is reported. Eight independent strains were isolated from clinical specimens in six different countries of the world: two in Iran, two in Italy and one in each of following countries: Greece, the Netherlands, Sweden and the United States. Interestingly two of the strains were isolated from cerebrospinal fluids. The strains were characterized by rapid growth and presented orange-pigmented scotochromogenic colonies. DNA-based analysis revealed unique sequences in the four regions investigated: the 16S rRNA gene, the rRNA gene internal transcriber spacer 1 , and the genes encoding the 65kDa heat shock protein and the beta-subunit of RNA polymerase. The phylogenetic analysis placed the strains among the rapidly growing mycobacteria, being most closely related to Mycobacterium gilvum. The genotypic and phenotypic data both strongly supported the inclusion of the strains investigated here as a new species within the genus Mycobacterium; the name Mycobacterium iranicum sp. nov. is proposed to bear witness to the isolation in Iran of the first recognized strains. The type strain is M05T (DSM 45541T=CCUG62053T =JCM 17461T).