Mycobacterium avium (M. avium) is a gram-positive, slow-growing bacteria with high guanine and cytosine content. It is present mainly in cattle and transmitted to humans by drinking unpasteurized animal milk. M. avium, M. bovis and M. tuberculosis are the most common human acquired mycobacteria. Drinking water is the most common source of M. avium by humans. By drinking two liters of water per day, after a little over two months, an individual could have ingested pathogenic levels of microorganisms. When saturation levels are reached there is an increase in gastrointestinal autoimmune disorders such as ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease.
Mycobacterium avium
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