[Distribution of PRA patterns of clinical isolates of the Mycobacterium avium complex from Spain and South America].
Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) infections are the most frequent systemic infections associated with advanced AIDS. DNA probes for accurate identification of mycobacteria are available but are very expensive in many Latin American settings. Consequently, most Latin American diagnostic laboratories employ inaccurate and outdated tests for mycobacteria identification. Therefore, PCR restriction analysis (PRA) of the hsp65 gene was evaluated for the identification of 163 MAC human isolates originated from Spain and South America. The predominant PRA type in each country was: M. avium type I in Argentina (23/42, 55%) and Brazil (48/72, 67%), M. avium type II in Spain (18/26, 69%) and M. avium type III in Colombia (10/23, 43%). The Colombia frequency is noteworthy, since the PRA type III was quite infrequent in the other three countries. Furthermore, its presence has not been reported outside the Americas. The advantages and disadvantages of PRA in diagnostic mycobacteriology are discussed.
Murcia
Martha Isabel
MI
Departamento de Medicina Preventiva, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Autónoma, Madrid, España.
Leao
Sylvia Cardoso
SC
Ritacco
Viviana
V
Palenque
Elia
E
de Oliveira
Rosangela Siqueira
RS
Reniero
Ana
A
Menendez
Maria Carmen
MC
Telles
María Alice da Silva
MA
Hadad
David Jamil
DJ
Barrera
Lucía
L
García
María Jesús
MJ
D006801:Humans; D015269:Mycobacterium avium Complex / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D015183:Restriction Mapping; D013020:South America; D013030:Spain