title: Antimicrobial susceptibility of nontuberculous mycobacteria from eye infections.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To characterize formerly designated atypical or nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) associated with eye infections.
  
  
  METHODS
  All clinical NTM eye isolates (112 isolates from 100 patients) submitted to a single national NTM reference laboratory between 1982 and 2009 were identified using polymerase chain reaction and restriction fragment length polymorphism of the hsp65 gene. Isolates were tested against 10 antimicrobials, including besifloxacin, a new 8-chloro-fluoroquinolone. Assessments included species of NTM recovered, year of isolation, type of eye infection, geographic location, and drug susceptibilities.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the 1980s, the major pathogen isolated was Mycobacterium abscessus. In the 1990 s, Mycobacterium chelonae emerged as the major pathogen. By 2000, it was responsible for more than 50% of all cases. The majority of M. abscessus and Mycobacterium fortuitum were from southern coastal states and Texas, whereas M. chelonae isolates were more widespread geographically. The most active antimicrobials were amikacin and clarithromycin/azithromycin for M. abscessus and clarithromycin/azithromycin, amikacin, and tobramycin, and the quinolones for M. chelonae.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This is the largest study of NTM ophthalmic isolates to date and is the first to include susceptibilities and molecular identification for all isolates studied. This series establishes M. chelonae (44%) and M. abscessus (37%) as the NTM species most frequently associated with ophthalmic infections. Topical ophthalmic fluoroquinolones may have a role in the management of ocular infections involving M. chelonae and M. fortuitum.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Mycobacteria/Nocardia Research Laboratory, The University of Texas Health Science Center, Tyler, TX 75708, USA. barbara.elliott@uthct.edu
authors.forename: Barbara A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Brown-Elliott
authors.forename: Linda B
authors.initials: LB
authors.lastname: Mann
authors.forename: Daymon
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Hail
authors.forename: Clayton
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Whitney
authors.forename: Richard J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Wallace
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D018834:Chaperonin 60 / Q000235:genetics; D015818:Eye Infections, Bacterial / Q000382:microbiology*; D006801:Humans; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D009165:Mycobacterium Infections, Nontuberculous / Q000382:microbiology*; D009170:Nontuberculous Mycobacteria / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012150:Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length; D012329:RNA, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D018834:Chaperonin 60; D012329:RNA, Bacterial; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S; C074119:heat-shock protein 65, Mycobacterium