title: Mycobacterium intermedium
text: # Mycobacterium intermedium
  
  Mycobacterium intermedium is a species of the phylum Actinomycetota (Gram-positive bacteria with high guanine and cytosine content, one of the dominant phyla of all bacteria), belonging to the genus Mycobacterium.
  
  Etymology: Latin; intermedium, meaning between, rapidly and slowly growing mycobacteria.
  
  ## Description
  
  Gram-positive, and nonmotile acid-fast coccobacilli (2.0 µm x 2.6 µm).
  
  Colony characteristics
  
  * Eugonic, smooth and photochromogenic colonies (3–5mm in diameter) on Löwenstein-Jensen medium.
  
  Physiology
  
  * Growth on Löwenstein-Jensen medium at 22 °C, 31 °C, 37 °C and 41 °C, (optimal temperature between 31 °C and 37 °C), within 2–3 weeks.
  * Susceptible to ethambutol and rifampin.
  * Resistant to isoniazid and streptomycin.
  
  Differential characteristics
  
  * Phylogenetic position between rapidly and slowly growing mycobacteria.
  * M. asiaticum is phenotypically very similar, but can be distinguished by its growth at 22 °C, and by its dysgonic growth.
  
  ## Pathogenesis
  
  * Pulmonary disease
  * Biosafety level 2
  
  ## Type strain
  
  * Repeatedly isolated from sputum from a patient with pulmonary disease.
  
  Strain 1669/91 = ATCC 51848 = CCUG 37583 = CIP 104542 = DSM 44049 = JCM 13572
  
  