M.

tuberculosis

1. rod-shaped, nonspore-forming,
2. thin aerobic bacterium
3. measuring 0.5m x3 m

M. tuberculosis complex

1. M. tuberculosis complex [ MC and important agent of human disease ]

2. M. bovis (the bovine tubercle bacilluscharacteristically resistant to pyrazinamide,
3. M. caprae (related to M. bovis)
4. M. africanum (isolated from cases in West, Central, and East Africa)
5. M. microti (the "vole" bacillus, a less virulent and rarely encountered organism),
6. M. pinnipedii (a bacillus infecting seals and sea lions in the Southern Hemisphere and
recently isolated from humans),
7. M. canetti (a rare isolate from East African cases that produces unusual smooth
colonies on solid media and is considered closely related to a supposed progenitor
type).