The Classification of Acid-Fast Bacteria

Abstract

The cultural reactions of 252 saprophytic, acid-fast cultures from soil, plants, human and animal tissues and secretions were studied. With growth at 47[degree] C, survival of 60[degree] C for 1 hr., and utilization of sorbitol and arabinose as C sources as major criteria for division, 80% of the strains were separated into 3 groups of closely related cultures. The remaining 20% of the strains differed from the above and, in most cases, from each other.