Isoenzymes as tools to discriminate various subdivisions in the Mycobacterium fortuitum complex.

Methods for the characterization of catalase, peroxidase, beta-glucosidase, esterase, and beta-lactamase mycobacterial isoenzymes were described. These methods were applied to examine strains of the M. fortuitum complex. M. fortuitum, M. peregrinum, M. chelonae- M. abscessus and an unnamed species had distinct isoenzyme profiles. M. chelonae and M. abscessus could not be satisfactorily differentiated using the described methods.