Mycobacterial sensitins: where are we now?

Area of Science:

• Microbiology
• Immunology

Background:

• Mycobacterial identification is crucial for diagnosis and treatment.
• Comparative reciprocal intradermal mycobacterial sensitin (CRIS) testing is a method for mycobacteria classification.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the efficacy of CRIS testing for mycobacteria identification.
• To assess the capabilities and limitations of CRIS testing in classifying mycobacterial species.

Main Methods:

• A limited review of existing data on CRIS testing was conducted.
• CRIS testing involves using guinea pigs and mycobacterial sensitin for intradermal testing.
• The method's performance was evaluated for identifying various mycobacterial strains.

Main Results:

• CRIS testing can identify and classify approximately 50 mycobacteria species.
• The method successfully identified Mycobacterium avium complex serovars.
• CRIS testing cannot differentiate between genera like Mycobacterium and Nocardia or closely related Mycobacterium species (e.g., M. tuberculosis, M. bovis, M. africanum).

Conclusions:

• CRIS testing is effective for classifying cultivable mycobacteria at the species level.
• Limitations exist in differentiating closely related species and genera using CRIS testing alone.
• CRIS testing is not applicable for identifying non-cultivable mycobacteria.