Mycobacterium gastri

Description

• Nonchromogenic, smooth to rough, white colonies on Löwenstein-Jensen medium and smooth or somewhat granular on Middlebrook 7H10 agar.

• Growth on Löwenstein-Jensen medium or on Middlebrook 7H10 agar at 37 °C,, within 7 or more days.
• Does not grow in the presence of ethambutol or isoniazid.

• Closely related to M. kansasii
• M. gastri and M. kansasii share an identical 16S rDNA sequence. Species differentiation is possible by differences in the ITS and hsp65 sequences.
• M. kansasii produces a photochromogenic yellow pigment.
• AccuProbes for M. kansasii are negative.

  Pathogenesis

• Casual resident of human stomachs, but not considered a cause of disease.
• Biosafety level 1

  Type strain

• First isolated from human gastric specimen. Also found in soil.