Mycobacterium parmense sp nov.

The isolation and identification of a novel, slow-growing, scotochromogenic, mycobacterial T species is reported. A strain, designated MUP 1182(T), was isolated from a cervical lymph node of a 3-year-old child. MUP 1182(T) is alcohol- and acid-fast, with a lipid pattern that is consistent with those of species that belong to the genus Mycobacterium. It grows slowly at 25-37 degreesC, but does not grow at 42 degreesC. The isolate was revealed to be biochemically distinct from previously described mycobacterial species: it has urease and Tween hydrolysis activities and lacks nitrate reductase, 3-day arylsulfatase and beta-glucosidase activities. Comparative 163 rDNA sequencing showed that isolate MUP P 1182(T) represents a novel, slow-growing species that is related closely to Mycobacterium lentiflavum and Mycobacterium simiae. On the basis of these findings, the name Mycobacterium parmense sp. nov. is proposed, with MUP 1182(T) (=CIP 107385(T) = DSM 44553(T)) as the type strain.