Isolation of Mycobacterium mucogenicum from street-vended chili sauces: a potential source of human infection.
Recently human illnesses due to nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) have increased worldwide, but the sources of transmission have not been well established. Street-vended food is widely consumed in Mexico, and chili sauces are the most typical dressings for this food. Thus, we examined street-vended chili sauces as a possible source for NTM. Fifty-one street-vended chili sauces were collected in different areas of Mexico City during the spring of 2007. NTM were recovered from 6% (3 of 51) of samples, and in all cases the identified species was Mycobacterium mucogenicum. This mycobacterium has been associated with human illness; therefore, street-vended chili sauces are a potential source of NTM infection.
Cerna-Cortés
Jorge F
JF
Departamento de Microbiología, Escuela Nacional de Ciencias Biologicas-IPN, Prolongación Carpio y Plan de Ayala s/n, Col. Casco de Santo Tomas, Mexico City, CP 11340, Mexico.
Estrada-García
Teresa
T
González-y-Merchand
Jorge A
JA
D002212:Capsicum / Q000382:microbiology*; D003257:Consumer Product Safety; D005506:Food Contamination / Q000032:analysis*; D005511:Food Handling / Q000379:methods; D005516:Food Microbiology; D006801:Humans; D008800:Mexico; D009161:Mycobacterium / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D011634:Public Health