CLASSIFICATION AND IDENTIFICATION OF MYCOBACTERIA .4. SOME IMPORTANT SCOTOCHROMOGENS

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Abstract
Three clusters of scotochromogenic mycobacteria accounting for 136 of 310 assorted cultures of mycobacteria studied in an Adansonian analysis were identified. One of these clusters accounts for most of the scotochromogens implicated in human disease. This cluster includes Mycobacterium scrofulaceum, M. marianum, and the 2 cultures used for preparation of the scotochromogen purified protein derivatives (PPD''s). This cluster probably represents a species. Mycobacterium flavescens, a cluster intermediate between the slow and fast growers, is sufficiently distinct to be acceptable as a species. The tap-water strains are probably predominantly members of a single species, M. aquae. It may be possible to segregate a 4th cluster which may ultimately be defined as a separate species.