Mycobacterium noviomagense sp. nov.; clinical relevance evaluated in 17 patients.
Eighteen isolates of a nonchromogenic, slowly growing, non-tuberculous species of the genus Mycobacterium were cultured from respiratory specimens obtained over the last eight years from 17 patients in the Netherlands. These isolates were grouped because they revealed a unique 16S rRNA gene sequence and were related to Mycobacterium xenopi. None of the 17 patients met the American Thoracic Society diagnostic criteria for non-tuberculous mycobacterial disease, which distinguishes the novel isolates from the related species, M. xenopi. A polyphasic taxonomic approach, including identification by biochemical and phenotypical analysis, hsp65 gene sequencing and PCR restriction enzyme pattern analysis, and sequence analyses of the rpoB gene and 16S-23S internal transcribed spacer supported the separate species status of the novel isolates. The name Mycobacterium noviomagense sp. nov. is proposed for the novel strains. The type strain is NLA000500338(T) (=DSM 45145(T)=CIP 109766(T)). A more distinctive taxonomy of NTM is a prerequisite for the assessment of their clinical relevance.
van Ingen
Jakko
J
Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Center, Department of Pulmonary Diseases, Nijmegen, The Netherlands. jakko.van.ingen@rivm.nl
Boeree
Martin J
MJ
de Lange
Wiel C M
WC
de Haas
Petra E W
PE
van der Zanden
Adri G M
AG
Mijs
Wouter
W
Rigouts
Leen
L
Dekhuijzen
P N Richard
PN
van Soolingen
Dick
D