Mycobacterium simiae: Harmless colonizer or deadly pathogen?

Abstract

In 1965, a new species of nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) was isolated from Rhesus monkeys imported from India and was termed Mycobacterium simiae The name was derived from the Latin term simiae, which means "of monkeys" M. simiae is a slow-growing photochromogenic mycobacterium that was initially considered an environmental pathogen mainly acquired from water This organism can be found in municipal water sources It has been identified in hospital drinking fountains, sinks, and ice machines and can act as a reservoir for nosocomial M. simiae outbreaks It can also contaminate medical equipment and laboratory specimens

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