Water: the natural habitat of Mycobacterium kansasii?
It has been demonstrated that, after inoculation, Mycobacterium kansasii will survive in water up to 12 months without any change in cultural or lipid characteristics. The organism failed to survive in soil. It is suggested that the natural habitat of M. kansasii is water.
D009161:Mycobacterium / Q000502:physiology*; D012988:Soil Microbiology; D013997:Time Factors; D014871:Water Microbiology