Mycobacterium simiae is commonly found in nature and its role as a pathogen has been controversial. A case of disseminated M. simiae infection with blood, pulmonary and cutaneous localization is reported here. The pathogenic role of M. simiae was clearly demonstrated as it was the only organism isolated from sputum, broncho-alveolar lavage fluid, as well as blood and skin tissue. Identification of M. simiae by conventional testing may be difficult. Analysis of fatty and mycolic acid patterns, as performed in this case, is necessary to confirm its identification.

AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections↗

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Epidemiology of mycobacterial diseases.

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Cross Infection↗

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First reported case of Mycobacterium ulcerans infection in a patient from China.

Buruli ulcers have not been previously described in China, and only once at higher latitudes on the northern hemisphere. A patient who travelled in the Shan Dong Province in the People's Republic of China developed an ulcer which was proven to be a Buruli ulcer. The clinical picture and histopathological findings from biopsy specimens are characteristic for a Buruli ulcer, and also the growth in culture (Coletsos medium) at a restricted temperature of 30 degrees C. A multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) based on the amplification of the gene encoding for 16S ribosomal RNA and a nested PCR based on the Mycobacterium ulcerans specific repeated sequence 2404 were performed. These PCR investigations identified the bacteria as M. ulcerans, subspecies shinshuense. The patient was initially treated with clarithromycin and rifampicin, which was changed to ciprofloxacin and rifabutin when rifampicin resistance of the first isolate was established. There were no signs of reactivation of the disease 6 months after the end of treatment. M. ulcerans infection occurs above 30 degrees latitude on the northern hemisphere in China and is caused by M. ulcerans, subspecies shinshuense. This case appears to be cured by chemotherapy alone, in contrast to the general experience that surgical treatment is indicated. The granulomatous reaction with only fragments of acid-fast bacteria in the biopsy at the end of treatment many indicate the development of an adequate cell-mediated immune response leading to resistance to the infection.

Adult↗

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Production of monoclonal antibodies against Mycobacterium leprae and armadillo-derived mycobacteria.

Six monoclonal antibodies to Mycobacterium leprae and armadillo-derived mycobacteria were produced. The monoclonal antibodies were characterized by an immunofluorescence assay using 22 mycobacterial strains. One monoclonal antibody, F47-21-3, reacted only with M. leprae; two, F45-9 and F45-15, reacted only with two armadillo-derived mycobacterial strains. These six monoclonal antibodies can be used for the identification of M. leprae and armadillo-derived mycobacteria.

Animals↗

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Cultivable mycobacteria isolated from organs of armadillos uninoculated and inoculated with Mycobacterium leprae.

Mycobacteria were cultivated from 16 out of 32 samples of tissues from armadillos inoculated with Mycobacterium leprae. Three out of 7 samples from non-inoculated armadillos held in captivity were also positive for cultivable mycobacteria. Some isolated strains belonged to the M. avium-intracellulare-scrofulaceum complex, while others were identified as M. gordonae and M. terrae. Unclassified mycobacteria were isolated from M. leprae-inoculated armadillos only. Taxonomic studies confirmed that these new armadillo-derived mycobacteria (ADM) are different from all presently known species of mycobacteria, including M. leprae. The same new species were isolated from different armadillo colonies and were never found in non-inoculated animals. Different factors influence the isolation of these ADM in primary culture. Analysis of some specific markers of these ADM has been suggested in order to quantitatively determine the proportion of these ADM to M. leprae in armadillo tissues. No mycobacteria were cultivated from Nude mouse footpads infected with M. leprae.

Animals↗

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Molecular genetic methods for diagnosis and antibiotic resistance detection of mycobacteria from clinical specimens.

Mycobacteria comprise a diverse group of bacteria that are widespread in nature, some of which cause significant disease in humans. Members of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTBC) are the most important human pathogens of the genus Mycobacterium. Traditional methods for detection and identification of mycobacteria include microscopy, culture and phenotypic tests. These methods either lack sensitivity, specificity, or are time consuming. Advances in the field of molecular biology have provided rapid diagnostic tools that have reduced the turnaround times for detecting MTBC and drug resistance in cultures and directly in clinical specimens from weeks to days. This review discusses the molecular genetic techniques for detecting and identifying MTBC as well as drug resistance of mycobacteria in clinical specimens.

Bacterial Typing Techniques↗

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Multidrug-resistant tuberculosis in prison inmates, Azerbaijan.

In a tuberculosis (TB) program in the Central Penitentiary Hospital of Azerbaijan, we analyzed 65 isolates of Mycobacterium tuberculosis by IS6110-based restriction fragment-length polymorphism (RFLP) and spoligotyping. From 11 clusters associated with 33 patients, 31 isolates had an IS6110-based banding pattern characteristic of the Beijing genotype of M. tuberculosis. In addition, 15 M. tuberculosis isolates with similar RFLP patterns constituted a single group by spoligotyping, matching the Beijing genotype. Multidrug resistance, always involving isoniazid and rifampin, was seen in 34 (52.3%) of 65 isolates, with 28 belonging to the Beijing genotype.

Adult↗

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The use of IS2404 restriction fragment length polymorphisms suggests the diversity of Mycobacterium ulcerans from different geographical areas.

Buruli ulcer, caused by Mycobacterium ulcerans, has been reported in five continents: Africa, Asia, Australia, and North and South America. In the present study, restriction fragment length polymorphism with the recently described M. ulcerans specific insertion sequence IS2404 as a probe, was applied to Mycobacterium shinshuense, Mycobacterium marinum, and 14 clinical M. ulcerans isolates originating from six geographic areas: Africa (n = 6), Australia (n = 2), Mexico (n = 1), south Asia (n = 2), Asia (n = 1), and South America (n = 2). Using this probe, six subtypes of M. ulcerans, related to the six geographic origins of the isolates were distinguished, confirming that M. ulcerans can be divided into subgroups corresponding to different geographic variants of the same species.

Base Sequence↗

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Taxonomy of Mycobacterium leprae and M. lepraemurium.

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Antigens, Bacterial↗

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[Lipid composition of cultivable Mycobacteria isolated from livers of armadillos infected by Mycobacterium leprae].

Four bacterial strains isolated from two livers of armadillos experimentally infected with Mycobacterium leprae were studied. Lipids obtained after saponification and methylation and complex lipids obtained by solvent extraction were examined. The presence of mycolates showed that the four strains belonged to the genus Mycobacterium, but the mycolate patterns, identical for the four strains, were different from those of all strains studied so far. Three of these strains contained phthioceranic acids, which were not found in the fourth one. Only the last strain contained mycosides of the C type, while the three others contained a new type of glycolipid. Their content in mycolates and in glycolipids demonstrated a clear-cut difference between these strains, on the one hand, and M. leprae on the other.

Animals↗