title: Emerging significance of Mycobacterium avium-complex infection in an inner-city hospital.
abstract: This study ascertains the incidence, trends, and clinical significance of acid-fast bacilli (AFB) isolates at Bridgeport Hospital from January 1, 1995 through September 30, 1999. One hundred twenty-two isolates of nine different types of mycobacteria and nocardia were cultured from 117 patients. About 30% were HIV-positive, 34% were HIV-negative, and the HIV status of 36% was unknown. The predominant isolates were Mycobacterium avium-complex (MAC) (60%) and Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) (21.3%). Pulmonary sources accounted for 74% of the isolates. The incidence of Mtb remained stable at 2.6-4.1 cases/100,000 total patient discharges/year. In contrast the incidence of MAC soared from a baseline rate of 1.6/100,000 total patient discharges/year in 1995/96 to 19.5/100,000 total patient discharges/year in 1999. The increase was consistent across pulmonary and nonpulmonary sources, HIV status, and across disease likelihood. Seventy-three percent of MAC isolates were associated with definite or probable disease. Physicians need to consider the increased MAC incidence in the choice of empiric therapy for AFB-positive patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine-Pediatrics, Bridgeport Hospital, Bridgeport, USA.
authors.forename: Dacelin St
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Martin
authors.forename: Pinar
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Oray-Schrom
authors.forename: Yaw
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Amoateng-Adjepong
mesh_terms: D017088:AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003237:Connecticut / Q000453:epidemiology; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology*; D005260:Female; D006786:Hospitals, Urban; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015269:Mycobacterium avium Complex / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D015270:Mycobacterium avium-intracellulare Infection / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology*; D015995:Prevalence; D013997:Time Factors