title: Mycobacterial species diversity at a general hospital on the island of Crete: first detection of Mycobacterium lentiflavum in Greece.
abstract: The objective of the present study was to investigate the diversity of mycobacterial isolates in a general hospital in Crete, Greece. 48 positive Lowenstein-Jensen cultures over a 3-y period were analysed by means of AccuProbe and GenoType assays. Non-tuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) comprised the majority of the isolates (56.3%, 27/48) vs 33.3% (16/48) of M. tuberculosis; 10.4% of the isolates could not be classified. Among NTM, M. lentiflavum was the predominant species isolated (9/27) followed by M. kansasii, M. gordonae and M. peregrinum, whereas no M. avium complex isolates were detected. This is the first detection of M. lentiflavum in Greece. The susceptibilities of the M. lentiflavum isolates to an extended panel of antibiotics were determined by the proportions method and the medical files of the 9 patients were reviewed. Three isolates were from urine, which is an unusual site. All strains exhibited multidrug resistance. The patients were adults with immunosuppression or predisposing conditions for NTM infection. Diagnosis of true infection was either not pursued or the patients died shortly after isolation.
authors.affiliation: Mycobacteriology Laboratory, Department of Clinical Bacteriology, Parasitology, Zoonoses and Geographical Medicine, University Hospital of Heraklion, 712 01 Heraklion, Crete, Greece. ineonakis@gmail.com
authors.forename: Ioannis K
authors.initials: IK
authors.lastname: Neonakis
authors.forename: Zoe
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Gitti
authors.forename: Irene S
authors.initials: IS
authors.lastname: Kourbeti
authors.forename: Helen
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Michelaki
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Baritaki
authors.forename: Georgia
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Alevraki
authors.forename: Evangelia
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Papadomanolaki
authors.forename: Ekaterini
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Tsafaraki
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tsouri
authors.forename: Stavroula
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Baritaki
authors.forename: Elias
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Krambovitis
authors.forename: Demetrios A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Spandidos
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001992:Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid / Q000382:microbiology; D005260:Female; D006115:Greece / Q000453:epidemiology; D006769:Hospitals, General; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009161:Mycobacterium / Q000145:classification* / Q000187:drug effects / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D009164:Mycobacterium Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology*; D013045:Species Specificity; D013183:Sputum / Q000382:microbiology; D014397:Tuberculosis, Pulmonary / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology; D014556:Urine / Q000382:microbiology