Proposed Numbering Scheme for Mycobacterial Serotypes by Agglutination

Abstract

A new scheme is proposed for Schaefer's seroagglutination types of mycobacterial strains. In place of numbers and proper names and segregation into three species, Mycobacterium avium, M. intracellulare, and M. scrofulaceum, arabic numbers are assigned in order under the heading “M. avium Complex.” For those species with but one or two recognized serotypes, the suggested designation is the species name followed by the term “serotype” followed by an arabic number if more than one type can be identified. It is proposed that a “clearing registry” be established within the framework of the International Working Group on Mycobacterial Taxonomy to prevent different authors from proposing the same serotype numbers for different serotypes.