Mycobacterium doricum sp nov.

A novel mycobacterial species is described in this study. The strain was is olated from the cerebrospinal fluid of a severely immunocompromised AIDS pa tient. It was scotochromogenic and slow-growing. Characteristic features fo r its differentiation from other mycobacteria are its lipid pattern and the unique gene sequences within the hypervariable regions of the 16S rDNA. Th e strain shows susceptibility to current anti mycobacterial drugs. The path ogenicity of the novel mycobacterium and its clinical significance are not certain, as the neurological symptoms of the patient could also be due to c oncomitant infection with Cryptococcus neoformans. The name Mycobacterium d oricum sp. nov. is proposed for the novel mycobacterium; the type strain is strain FI-13295(T) (= DSM 44339(T) = CIP 106867(T)).