Clinical importance of Mycobacterium kansasii and evaluation of the need to identify nontuberculous mycobacteria

Enfermedades infecciosas y microbiología clínica
Marina EtxebarrietaInés Dorronsoro

Abstract

The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical importance of a single isolation of Mycobacterium kansasii in order to determine whether a single isolation of nontuberculous mycobacteria is sufficient to diagnose mycobacteriosis or whether multiple isolations are required, in which case, it would be better to wait until a second isolation is produced before undertaking identification of all nontuberculous mycobacteria. Between 1992-1998, we studied the characteristics of 77 isolates of M. kansasii because it is the nontuberculous mycobacterium most frequently associated with disease. Our hospital has 500 beds but processed the samples from the Principe de Viana Outpatient Center and those from the district hospitals of Tudela and Estella for mycobacteria. During the study period, a mean of 3,900 specimens were processed per year. The isolates came from 22 episodes in 21 patients (19 males and 2 females). The specimens were cultured using standard techniques and confirmation was performed using gene probes (Gen-Probe, San Diego, California). Of the 22 episodes, positive cultures were obtained on multiple occasions in 15 (68.1%) and a single isolation was obtained in 7. All isolations came from respiratory samples. Isolations ...Continue Reading

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