Isolation of mycobacteria from dairy creamery effluent sludge

Abstract
SUMMARY: Sixty three samples of dairy creamery effluent were examined for the presence of mycobacteria. Thirty two strains were isolated from 27 samples. These were classified as follows:M. fortuitum(13),M. peregrinum(6),M. gordonae(5),M. marianum (scrofulaceum)(4), unidentified (4).Ten strains, representative of the groups isolated, were tested for their effect on experimental animals. None were pathogenic for guinea pigs or mice but a number produced a minimal amount of skin sensitization in guinea pigs to avian and mammalian tuberculin.