But this page is only about  mycobacterium abscessus and its 3 subspecies.

Micobacterium abscessus is a gram-positive acid-fast bacteria.
Morphology: Rod shaped, measuring 1.0 to 2.5 microns long and 0.5 microns wide.
It can be found in soil, dirty water, or dust.

In Lowenstein-Jensen medium, they can form colonies that are smooth or rough, white or greyish.
Can grow colonies in McConkey agar (at 28 to 37 degrees Centigrade).
On starch-base mediums, such as potato dextrose agar, they show as yellow streaks.

It has 3 subspecies:
M. a. abscessus - Resistant to macrolide antibiotics.
M. a. boletti - Also resistant to macrolide antibiotics.
M. a. massiliense - Susceptible to some antibiotics and easier to treat.

Finding these bacterias in a lab culture is not sufficient to make a diagnosis. The patient must show symptoms of an infection. Specially since treatment is full of undesirable side effect.

REFERENCES:

Treatment of Mycobacterium abscessus Infection  (A CDC publication)

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