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Enhancement of growth ofMycobacterium malmoense by acidic pH and pyruvate

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Abstract

The growth ofMycobacterium malmoense is dysgonic and slow on ordinary mycobacterium media. The effect of pH and pyruvate on the growth of ten strains was studied on a modification of Löwenstein-Jensen medium. Growth appeared sooner and was more abundant at pH<6.5. At pH 7 or higher, it was scarcely or not at all visible after six weeks of incubation. Pyruvate enhanced the growth of five strains that grew only poorly on glycerol-containing medium, even at acidic pH. The parallel use of both pyruvate and glycerol-containing media, pH 6 to 6.5, and an incubation period of seven weeks or longer are recommended for the isolation ofMycobacterium malmoense on Löwenstein-Jensen medium.

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Katila, M.L., Mattila, J. & Brander, E. Enhancement of growth ofMycobacterium malmoense by acidic pH and pyruvate. Eur. J. Clin. Microbiol. Infect. Dis. 8, 998–1000 (1989). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01967574

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