Abstract
In an aid to establish a method of identification of slowly growing mycobacteria based on the concept of the Adansonian classification, an Adansonian classification was done on slowly growing mycobacteria using forty-three characters. These forty-three characters were selected from ninty-four characters, omitting the characters which gave negative results in all of the test strains. This Adansonian classification succeeded to group test mycobacteria into four: (1) M. tuberculosis, M. bovis and an isolate from soil (strain no.341); (2) M. kansasii; (3) M. terrae, M. avium, nonphotochromogens and M. aquae; (4) M. thermoresistibile. The third group was divided into three subgroups; (a) M. terrae; (b) M. avium and nonphotochromogens; and (c) M. aquae.
M. thermoresistibile, a new species capable of growing at 52°, formed one cluster and was differentiated clearly from other species. M. terrae, a new species proposed by Tsukamura recently, also formed one cluster.
The results suggested that these forty-three characters would be useful for identification of slowly growing mycobacteria.
