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Journal of Clinical Microbiology, April 2002, p. 1230-1236, Vol. 40, No. 4
0095-1137/02/$04.00+0     DOI: 10.1128/JCM.40.4.1230-1236.2002
Copyright © 2002, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Phenotypic and Molecular Characterization of Clinical Isolates of Mycobacterium elephantis from Human Specimens

Christine Turenne,^1* Pamela Chedore,² Joyce Wolfe,¹ Frances Jamieson,² Kevin May,² and Amin Kabani^1,3

National Reference Centre for Mycobacteriology, National Microbiology Laboratory, Population and Public Health Branch, Health Canada,¹ Department of Medical Microbiology, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba,³ Tuberculosis and Mycobacteriology Laboratory, Laboratory Branch, Ontario Ministry of Health and Long Term Care, Etobicoke, Ontario, Canada²

Received 20 November 2001/ Returned for modification 19 December 2001/ Accepted 11 January 2002

Eleven strains of a rapidly growing mycobacterium were isolated from patient specimens originating from various regions of the province of Ontario, Canada, over a 2-year period. Unique high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and PCR-restriction enzyme pattern analysis (PRA) profiles initially suggested a new Mycobacterium species, while sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene revealed a sequence match with Mycobacterium sp. strain MCRO 17 (GenBank accession no. X93028), an isolate determined to be unique which is to date uncharacterized, and also a close similarity to M. elephantis (GenBank accession no. AJ010747), with six base pair variations. A complete biochemical profile of these isolates revealed a species of mycobacteria with phenotypic characteristics similar to those of M. flavescens. HPLC, PRA, and 16S rRNA sequencing of strain M. elephantis DSM 44368^T and result comparisons with the clinical isolates revealed that these strains were in fact M. elephantis, a newly described species isolated from an elephant. All strains were isolated from human samples, 10 from sputum and 1 from an axillary lymph node.

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* Corresponding author. Mailing address: National Reference Centre for Mycobacteriology, National Microbiology Laboratory, 1015 Arlington St., Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada R3E 3R2. Phone: (204) 789-6081. Fax: (204) 789-2036. E-mail: cturenne{at}hc-sc.gc.ca.

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Journal of Clinical Microbiology, April 2002, p. 1230-1236, Vol. 40, No. 4
0095-1137/02/$04.00+0     DOI: 10.1128/JCM.40.4.1230-1236.2002
Copyright © 2002, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

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