Species Mycobacterium chimaera

Name: Mycobacterium chimaera Tortoli et al. 2004

Category: Species

Proposed as: sp. nov.

Etymology: chi.mae’ra. L. fem. n. chimaera, the chimaera, the mythological being made up of parts of three different animals, referring to the apparent mix of genetic features characterizing the strains (nominative in apposition)

Pronunciation (Latin), gender: my-ko-bak-TE-ri-um k^hi-MA͡E-ra, neuter

Type strain: CCUG 50989; CIP 107892; DSM 44623; FI-01069; FI-0169; JCM 14737; NCTC 13781

See detailed strain information at

Conduct genome-based taxonomy at

16S rRNA gene: AJ548480 Analyse FASTA

Valid publication: Tortoli E, Rindi L, Garcia MJ, Chiaradonna P, Dei R, Garzelli C, Kroppenstedt RM, Lari N, Mattei R, Mariottini A, et al. Proposal to elevate the genetic variant MAC-A, included in the Mycobacterium avium complex, to species rank as Mycobacterium chimaera sp. nov. Int J Syst Evol Microbiol 2004; 54:1277-1285. 🇮🇹

IJSEM list: Euzeby JP. Notification list. Notification that new names and new combinations have appeared in volume 54, part 4 of the IJSEM. Int J Syst Evol Microbiol 2004; 54:1911-1913.

Nomenclatural status: validly published under the ICNP

Taxonomic status: synonym (and not recommended for medical use)

Correct name: Mycobacterium intracellulare subsp. chimaera (Tortoli et al. 2004) Nouioui et al. 2018

Risk group: 2

Synonyms:

Name	Kind
Mycobacterium intracellulare subsp. yongonense (Kim et al. 2013) Castejon et al. 2018	heterotypic synonym, validly published under the ICNP, distinct rank
Mycobacterium intracellulare subsp. chimaera (Tortoli et al. 2004) Nouioui et al. 2018	homotypic synonym, validly published under the ICNP, distinct rank
Mycobacterium yongonense Kim et al. 2013	heterotypic synonym, validly published under the ICNP

Notes:
- ⏰ According to Nouioui et al. (2018), this species is an earlier heterotypic synonym of Mycobacterium yongonense Kim et al. 2013. Publication: Nouioui I, Carro L, Garcia-Lopez M, Meier-Kolthoff JP, Woyke T, Kyrpides NC, Pukall R, Klenk HP, Goodfellow M, Goker M. Genome-Based Taxonomic Classification of the Phylum Actinobacteria. Front Microbiol 2018; 9:2007. 🇩🇪
- 🏢 Synonymy of this taxon was mentioned in an IJSEM list. Publication: Oren A, Garrity GM. List of changes in taxonomic opinion no. 29. Notification of changes in taxonomic opinion previously published outside the IJSEM. Int J Syst Evol Microbiol 2019; 69:13-32.
- ❗ Mycobacterium chimaera is the correct name instead if this species is regarded as a separate species (i.e., if its nomenclatural type is not assigned to another species whose name is validly published, legitimate and not rejected and has priority) within a separate genus Mycobacterium.
- 😷 The risk group for Belgium has been imported on 2024-02-05. The full classification is: risk group = 2, note = "human pathogen". — The risk group for Canada has been imported on 2024-02-27. The full classification is: risk group = 2, note = "Animal classification RG: 2 - Security sensitive biological agent: No - Terrestrial animal pathogen under Canadian Food Inspection Agency authority: No - Containment level: Containment Level 2". — The risk group for Germany has been imported on 2026-08-13. The full classification is: risk group = 2. — The risk group for France has been imported on 2024-08-30. The full classification is: risk group = 2. — The risk group for United Kingdom has been imported on 2024-01-31. The full classification is: risk group = 2. — If in doubt, use the risk group given in the regulations for your country and, if these are not available, use the risk group given in the catalogue of the culture collection from which you have obtained or intend to obtain the strain.
- 🎓 Name mentioned 285 times in PubMed until 2026-06-11.
- 🪓 Organisms assigned to this species have previously been classified as Mycobacterium avium Chester 1901 (Approved Lists 1980). Publication: Chester FD. A Manual of Determinative Bacteriology. The MacMillan Co., New York, 1901. Skerman VBD, McGowan V, Sneath PHA. Approved lists of bacterial names. Int J Syst Bacteriol 1980; 30:225-420.
- 🥱 This name is on the List of Recommended Names for bacteria of medical importance (LoRN) as a synonym of the name to be applied to this species. The name is on LoRN because of the recorded risk group of the species itself. This name is not taxonomically suspended any more (but still isn't preferred) in favour of Mycobacterium avium Chester 1901 (Approved Lists 1980). Publication: Chester FD. A Manual of Determinative Bacteriology. The MacMillan Co., New York, 1901. Skerman VBD, McGowan V, Sneath PHA. Approved lists of bacterial names. Int J Syst Bacteriol 1980; 30:225-420.
- 🧍 According to Bartlett et al. (2022), this species is an established human pathogen. Publication: Bartlett A, Padfield D, Lear L, Bendall R, Vos M. A comprehensive list of bacterial pathogens infecting humans. Microbiology (Reading) 2022; 168:0. 🇬🇧

Parent taxon: Mycobacterium Lehmann and Neumann 1896 (Approved Lists 1980)

Assigned by: Tortoli E, Rindi L, Garcia MJ, Chiaradonna P, Dei R, Garzelli C, Kroppenstedt RM, Lari N, Mattei R, Mariottini A, et al. Proposal to elevate the genetic variant MAC-A, included in the Mycobacterium avium complex, to species rank as Mycobacterium chimaera sp. nov. Int J Syst Evol Microbiol 2004; 54:1277-1285. 🇮🇹

Linking: To permanently link to this page, use https://doi.org/10.83108/rn.778422Link copied to clipboard

Record number: 778422

This LPSN page was printed on 2026-09-05 08:56:28

Support LPSN

Species Mycobacterium chimaera