Studies on atypical mycobacteria in Israel: I. infections caused by mycobacterium fortuitum

Three serological methods (bacterial agglutination, cell wall agglutination and complement fixation with cell wall antigens) were employed for serological classification of mycobacteria. The third method was employed for the identification of group IV mycobacteria. Eight strains were antigenically identical with a reference strain of M. fortuitum. Seven of them were found to have been the causing agents of pathological conditions. Two strains which gave weak positive reactions with anti-M. fortuitum immune serum, but were found to be antigenically different from the reference strain, and three strains reacting negatively with anti-M.fortuitum immune serum but positively with anti-M. phlei immune scrum, were found to be occasional contaminants of urine or sputum and not involved in existing pathological processes.