title: [Disease due to Mycobacterium simiae and "Mycobacterium sherrisii" in Argentina].
abstract: A revision of mycobacterial disease due to M simiae (n = 4) and "M. sherrisii" (n = 6) identified during an eight-year period is presented. Cases occurred among patients with AIDS (n = 6), previous history of silicosis (n = 2) or tuberculosis (n = 2). One case was lost to follow-up and the remaining nine responded poorly to chemotherapy based on clarithromycin, ethambutol and fluoroquinolones. Five patients died of whom four were HIV-positive, three remained chronic and one was cured. These microorganisms originated 2.1% of mycobacterioses cases detected in an eight-year period. Timely identification of this group of uncommon mycobacteria by molecular methods seems to be clinically relevant in order to warn of difficulties inherent to the treatment. However, the distinction between both closely related microorganisms might not be crucial for case management as no distinctive characteristics were evident among patients affected by M. simiae or "M. sherrisii".
authors.affiliation: INEI, ANLIS Dr Carlos G. Malbrán.
authors.forename: Lucía
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Barrera
authors.forename: Domingo
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Palmero
authors.forename: Roxana
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Paul
authors.forename: Beatriz
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: López
mesh_terms: D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000382:microbiology; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001118:Argentina / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009161:Mycobacterium / Q000145:classification* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D009164:Mycobacterium Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012829:Silicosis / Q000382:microbiology; D014376:Tuberculosis / Q000382:microbiology; D055815:Young Adult