16S RIBOSOMAL-RNA SEQUENCE-ANALYSIS OF AN ISOLATE OF MYCOBACTERIUM-HAEMOPHILUM FROM A HEART-TRANSPLANT PATIENT

Biopsy samples from a heart transplant patient with cellulitis and bur sitis yielded an isolate of Mycobacterium haemophilum. The isolate was identified on the basis of a growth requirement for haemin or ferric ammonium citrate, growth at 30 degrees C but not at 37 degrees C, nega tive catalase test, intracellular growth in McCoy fibroblasts and sequ ence identity with a portion of the 16S rRNA sequence of the type stra in. In comparisons with known 16S rRNA sequences, M. haemophilum group ed with other pathogenic, slow-growing mycobacteria, showing close seq uence similarity to M. marinum (98.8 %) and lower similarity to M. ulc erans and M. tuberculosis complex organisms. M. haemophilum and M. mar inum share other features including optimal growth at 30 degrees C and the ability to cause superficial skin lesions in man.