mycobacterium marinum mycobacterium marinum mycobacterium marinum is a slow growing mycobacterium (sgm) belonging to the genus mycobacterium and the phylum actinobacteria. the strain marinum was first identified by aronson in 1926 and it is observed as a pathogenic mycobacterium. for example, tuberculosis-like infections in fish (mycobacteriosis) and skin lesions in humans. mycobacterium marinum scientific classification domain: bacteria phylum: actinomycetota class: actinomycetia order: mycobacteriales family: mycobacteriaceae genus: mycobacterium species: m. marinum binomial name mycobacterium marinumaronson 1926 (approved lists 1980) mycobacterium marinum is a mycobacterium which can infect humans. it was formerly known as mycobacterium balnei. infection is usually associated either with swimming or with keeping or working with fish (aquarium granuloma). whole genome sequence of m. marinum (m strain) was first published in 2008 and later with the emerge of next generation sequencing (ngs), marinum type strain or patient isolates genome sequences were published. a rare case of human infection was detected when a three year old american child was bitten by an iguana in costa rica in march 2022. it is the first bite related infection as most infections develop when an open wound comes into contact with contaminated water. the case was part of the programme of a scientific congress in copenhagen in april 2023 phylogeny initial phylogenetic studies using the gene 16s rdna sequence data shows m. marinum is close to m. tuberculosis and m. ulcerans.