Nocardia species have a cell wall that resembles that of mycobacteria and is
often acid fast.  Nocardia asteroides can cause a type of pulmonary
infection.

Are you certain about Mycobacterium being an intracellular parasite?
Although slow growing, it can be grown on culture media in the laboratory.
There are species that are found in soil and water. Many smears that I have
seen show organisms outside of cells.

Jennifer MacDonald



>
> This is primarily an FYI on acid fast bacteria.
> Having worked as a microbiologist for almost 10 years, I know something
> about the bacteria that cause TB & leprosy (the acid fast organisms).  I
do
> not believe ANY bacteria from a control tissue could ever contaminate a
> waterbath or another tissue section or a staining solution.  But
> Mycobacteria spp, (the acid fast bugs) are intracellular parasites, i.e.,
> they grow INSIDE the cells.   The property of being acid fast is a
> diagnostic feature of the genus Mycobacteria and all species in this genus
> are intracellular parasites.  They cannot reproduce outside of a living
> cell.  They may float around  in a moribund state, but that is not living
> and they most certainly cannot reproduce in such a condition.  To the best
> of my knowledge, there are not any acid fast bacteria that are associated
> with water.  Can some be found floating in water somewhere?  possibly, but
> I would be really concerned about how they got there.   There are plenty
of
> gram negatives that are associated with water and the big slime producers
> in water containers are the Pseudomonads  and Flavomonas spp. (gram
> negatives) as well as some  yeasts.   Mycobacteria??  No.  Now, there may
> be other bacteria that are acid fast, but I cannot think of any other than
> Mycobacteria.
>
> Just thought you might like to know...
> Connie McManus
>
>
>
>
> At 01:49 PM 1/3/02 -0500, Noreen Gilman wrote:
> >     I've got an unusual problem and I hope  you guys can help me.   I
have
> >never had a problem like this before. I'm at my wits  end. Any suggestion
> >are very welcome. Noreen   Noreen S. Gilman, HT (ASCP) CLS
> >Broward General Medical Center
> >Ft.  Lauderdale, FL 3316
> >954-355-5592 Phone
> >954-355-4139 Fax
> >ngilman@nbhd.org
>
> Veterinary Diagnostics Lab
> Utah State University
> Logan, UT
> USA
> fax (435) 797-2805
>