Mycobacterium scrofulaceum

Barklay R, Ewing DF, Ratledge C (1985) Isolation, Identification, and Structural Analysis of the Mycobactins of Mycobacterium avium, Mycobacterium intracellulare, Mycobacterium scrofulaceum, and Mycobacterium paratuberculosis. J Bacteriol 164 896... 

Rifampicin is highly active against Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Among atypical mycobacteria, it is active against Mycobacterium kansasii, Mycobacterium marinum, and most types of Mycobacterium scrofulaceum and Mycobacterium xenopi. Sensitivity of other mycobacteria varies. Rifampicin also exhibits activity against Mycobacterium leprae. 

Fourteen different reference strains of mycobacteria from Central JALMA Institute of Leprosy, Agra, India, isolated from clinical specimens, have been screened for the in vitro studies. Among these were several members of slow-growing atypical mycobacteria, e.g., Mycobacterium marinum 50, Mycobacterium scrofulaceum 1323, Mycobacterium gordonae 1324, Mycobacterium ter-rae 1450, Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37RV 16, and H37Rv (102, Kl, K2). Two other strains, known as the ICRC [41] and Skinsnes bacillus [31], which had been isolated from human leproma and found to be the members of the Mycobacterium avium-intracellulare-scrofulaceum, were also included in this study. 

Mycobacterium scrofulaceum may cause granulomatous hepatitis. Clinical findings include a clear increase in alkaline phosphatase as well as fever and general malaise. Diagnosis is confirmed by positive culture of the pathogen in liver biopsy specimens. (61) Other atypical mycobacteria may also cause liver damage, possibly in the form of granulomatous hepatitis, especially in AIDS (20-50% of cases). (58) (s. fig. 24.7)... 

Occurs as the inner unit of oligosaccharide chains in the polar glycopeptidiolipid antigens in the Mycobacterium avium -Mycobacterium intracellulase - Mycobacterium scrofulaceum (MAIS) serocomplex. Serves as a common aglycone for attachment of serovar-specific external sugar residues. Hygroscopic solid. [a]o -48.2 (c, 1.4 in H2O). 

The infectious killer disease, tuberculosis (TB), is the leading cause of death worldwide from a single human pathogen, claiming more adult lives than diseases such as acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), malaria, diarrhea, leprosy, and all other tropical diseases combined. The organism usually responsible, the tubercle bacillus, Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MT), was discovered by Robert Koch in 1882. However, M. bovis, which infects cattle, may also infect humans, and M. africanum is a cause of TB in West Africa. Furthermore, a number of normally nonpathogenic mycobacteria, especially M. avium, M. intracellulare, and M. scrofulaceum, cause opportunistic infectious disease in patients with AIDS. Pulmonary TB, the most common type of the disease, is usually acquired by inhalation of the bacillus from an infectious patient and causes irreversible lung destruction (Newton et al., 2000). 

P. J. Brennan, G. O. Aspinall, and J. E. Shin, Structure of the specific oligosaccharides from the glyco-peptidolipid antigens of serovars in the Mycobacterium avium-Mycobacterium intracellulare-Mycobac-terium scrofulaceum complex,/. Biol. Chem., 256 (1981) 6817-6822. 

A combination of rifampin and ethambutol is probably effective minocycline or tetracycline is active in vitro and is used by some physicians. M. scrofulaceum is an uncommon cause of cervical lymphadenitis that is treated with surgical excision. Microbes of the M. fortuitum complex (including Mycobacterium chelonae) may cause chronic lung disease and infections of skin and soft tissues. The microorganisms are highly resistant to most drugs, but amikacin, cefoxitin, and tetracyclines are active in vitro. 

Mycobacterium (except those listed in Appendix B-Ill-A (RG3)) including M aviurn com-plex, M asiaticum, M. bovis BCG vaccine strain, M. chelonei, M. fortuitum, M. kansasii, M. leprae, M. malmoense, M. marinum, M. paratuberculosis, M. scrofulaceum, M. simiae, M. szulgai, M. ulcerans, M. xenopi. 

Systematic examination of lipid extracts from Mycobacterium avium by infrared spectroscopy showed the presence of compounds exhibiting absorption bands at about 1235 cm which was attributed to acetyl ester groups (175), The substances responsible for this absorption were later isolated and as a group received the name of mycoside C. They were found in mycobacteria of the MAIS group Mycobacterium avium, M. intracellulare, M. scrofulaceum) and also in M. smegmatis, M. fortuitum, M. chelonae and some related species 176). 

Brennan, P.J., and M.B. Goren Structural Studies on the Type-Specific Antigens and Lipids of the Mycobacterium avium-M. intracellulare-M. scrofulaceum serocom-plex. Mycobacterium intracellulare serotype 9. J. Biol. Chem. 254, 4205 (1979). 

---