Table 1: Biochemical properties of some clinically important mycobacteria.
| Species |
Growth temp (°C) |
Growth rate |
Pigmentation |
Catalase (SQ*) |
Iron Uptake |
Growth on McConkey |
Tellurite Reduction |
Arylsulfatase |
Pyrazinamidase |
Urease |
Tween Hydrolysis |
Nitrate Reduction |
| 2 weeks |
3 days |
| M. fortuitum |
22-40 |
R |
N |
98 |
99 |
96 |
97 |
99 |
97 |
- |
93 |
50 |
99 |
| M. chelonae |
22-35 |
R |
N |
-97 |
-98 |
96 |
85 |
98 |
96 |
- |
99 |
93 |
-99 |
| M. abscessus |
22-40 |
R |
N |
-97 |
-98 |
96 |
85 |
98 |
96 |
- |
99 |
-47 |
-99 |
| M. ulcerans |
25-33 |
S |
N |
99 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
| M. tuberculosis |
33-39 |
S |
N (99) |
-99 |
- |
-99 |
-70 |
-93 |
-99 |
98 |
98 |
68 |
99 |
| M. avium complex |
22-45 |
S (99%) |
N |
-99 |
- |
-99 |
-70 |
-93 |
-99 |
99 |
99 |
99 |
99 |
* Semi Quantitative catalase
** Test reaction listed as ‘+’ or ‘-‘followed by the percentage strains reacting as indicated. If no percentage is given or space is blank, insufficient data were available or test was of no apparent value.