Isolation of Nontuberculous, Non-avium Mycobacteria from Patients Infected with Human Immunodeficiency Virus

Abstract

Mycobacterium avium serovars account for 97% of typeable M. avium complex (MAC) organisms causing infection in patients with AIDS. We reviewed 216 consecutive cultures that yielded nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) from 212 patients. Only the first isolate of each species of NTM recovered from each patient was analyzed in the study. Among the 92 patients infected with the human immunodeficiency virus, 96 NTM organisms were identified; M. avium was recovered from 50 (77%) of the 65 NTM-positive cultures of blood or bone marrow, while Mycobacterium intracellular and other non-avium NTM accounted for 18% and 5% of the isolates, respectively. Little difference in the susceptibility of isolates to antibiotics was noted between HIV-positive and HIV-negative patients or between M. avium and M. intracellulare. These data demonstrate that HIV-positive patients develop disseminated disease with NTM other than M. avium more frequently than has been previously reported and that these patients do not appear to be infected with NTM that are more resistant to antimicrobial agents than are NTM isolated from HIV-negative patients.

Use of multilocus enzyme electrophoresis to examine genetic relationships amongst isolates of Mycobacterium intracellulare and related species

“…intracellulare is an important pathogen of humans, causing chronic pulmonary infection, lymphadenitis and occasional disseminated infections (Wolinsky, 1992). It makes up 81-88% of MAC isolates cultured from patients without AIDS in the USA (Drake et al, 1987;Guthertz et al, 1989) and 18 % of atypical mycobacterial infections in patients with AIDS (Raszka et al, 1995). Different serovars of M .…”

“…M. intracellulare is an important pathogen of humans, causing chronic pulmonary infection, lymphadenitis and occasional disseminated infections (Wolinsky, 1992). It makes up 81–88% of MAC isolates cultured from patients without AIDS in the USA (Drake et al ., 1987; Guthertz et al ., 1989) and 18% of atypical mycobacterial infections in patients with AIDS (Raszka et al ., 1995). Different serovars of M. intracellulare have been isolated from granulomas in animals (Corner et al ., 1981; Morita et al ., 1994), from the environment, including soil and water (Falkinham et al ., 1980; Brooks et al ., 1984), and from people without predisposing conditions (Brooks et al ., 1984; Prince et al ., 1989).…”

AIDS and Opportunistic Infections

“…In a report including a total of 2,269 cases with AIDS and disseminated nontuberculous mycobacterial infection; in 96% of cases, infection was caused by MAC (Horsburgh & Selik, 1989). However, Raszka et al reported that, among the 92 patients infected with HIV and NTM organisms identified; MAC was recovered from 50 (77%) of the 65 NTM-positive cultures of blood or bone marrow, while MAC and other non-avium NTM accounted for 18% and 5% of the isolates, respectively and the authors concluded that those data demonstrate that HIV-positive patients develop disseminated disease with NTM other than M. avium more frequently than has been previously reported (Raszka et al, 1995). The disease may manifest as disseminated infection, soft tissue infection, chronic pneumonia, or hypersensitivity pneumonitis, and isolated MAC pulmonary disease is very rare.…”

Imaging Characteristics and Epidemiologic Features of Atypical Mycobacterial Infections Involving the Musculoskeletal System

“…Depending on the specific strain and host, however, these bacteria can cause various infections; such infections usually occur in the elderly [7] and in patients who are immunocompromised [1,[10][11][12][13].…”