Taxonomic Studies on the Mycobacterium tuberculosis Series

Abstract

Numerical classification of slowly growing mycobacteria, including 159 strains received as Mycobacterium tuberculosis, M. bovis, M. africanum, and M. microti, was carried out using 88 characters, and the following results were obtained. 1) All 159 strains received as M. tuberculosis, M. bovis, M. africanum, and M. microti formed one cluster, and no clear-cut differentiation among these four species was achieved. These four species should be reduced to one species, M. tuberculosis. 2) Within the cluster, two subclusters appeared, with a number of strains located outside the su bclusters. One subcluster was composed, except for two strains, of only M. (1968) (7), and Mycobacterium microti Reed (1957) (14) were considered as distinct species. These names are cited in the approved lists of bacterial names (1980) (15). Howeve r, there are serious questions on the distinctness of these species. In 1966 and 196 7, Tsukamura (18, 19)

Population genetics ofMycobacterium tuberculosiscomplex in Scotland analysed by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis

“…A study looking for variation in the 16S-to-23S rDNA internal transcribed spacer demonstrated none between the species of the complex [43]. Isolates that showed phenotypic characteristics intermediate between M. tuberculosis and M. bovis have been described [5] and analysis of a large series of phenotypic characteristics showed 92 % similarity between M. tuberculosis, M. bovis, M. africanum and M. microti [44]. Under the taxonomic rules M. bovis should be reduced to a biovar of M. tuberculosis rather than be classified as a discrete species [3].…”

Sequencing of the pncA Gene in Members of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis Complex Has Important Diagnostic Applications: Identification of a Species-Specific pncA Mutation in “ Mycobacterium canettii ” and the Reliable and Rapid Predictor of Pyrazinamide Resistance

“…pinnipedii, the dassie bacillus, and "M. canettii" (proposed name) (3,5,6,26). Although the members of the complex may differ in their epidemiologies, host spectra, geographic ranges, pathogenicities, and antituberculosis drug susceptibilities and although they display different phenotypic characteristics by conventional biochemical tests, they show high degrees of genetic homogeneity (10, 25).…”

Tuberculosis in seals caused by a novel member of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex: Mycobacterium pinnipedii sp. nov.

“…Previous logical arguments have suggested that all members of the M. tuberculosis complex are sufficiently similar to belong to the species M. tuberculosis (Wayne, 1984;Tsukamura et al, 1985;van Soolingen et al, 1997). Acceptance of such an approach would cause currently accepted species (M. bovis, M. microti and M. africanum) to warrant classification at the subspecies level.…”