title: Mycobacterium abscessus isolated from municipal water - a potential source of human infection.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Mycobacterium abscessus is a rapidly growing mycobacterium responsible for progressive pulmonary disease, soft tissue and wound infections. The incidence of disease due to M. abscessus has been increasing in Queensland. In a study of Brisbane drinking water, M. abscessus was isolated from ten different locations.The aim of this study was to compare genotypically the M. abscessus isolates obtained from water to those obtained from human clinical specimens.
  
  
  METHODS
  Between 2007 and 2009, eleven isolates confirmed as M. abscessus were recovered from potable water, one strain was isolated from a rainwater tank and another from a swimming pool and two from domestic taps. Seventy-four clinical isolates referred during the same time period were available for comparison using rep-PCR strain typing (Diversilab).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The drinking water isolates formed two clusters with ≥97% genetic similarity (Water patterns 1 and 2). The tankwater isolate (WP4), one municipal water isolate (WP3) and the pool isolate (WP5) were distinctly different. Patient isolates formed clusters with all of the water isolates except for WP3. Further patient isolates were unrelated to the water isolates.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The high degree of similarity between strains of M. abscessus from potable water and strains causing infection in humans from the same geographical area, strengthens the possibility that drinking water may be the source of infection in these patients.
authors.affiliation: Gallipoli Medical Research Centre, Greenslopes Private Hospital, Brisbane, QLD, Australia. R.Thomson@uq.edu.au
authors.forename: Rachel
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Thomson
authors.forename: Carla
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Tolson
authors.forename: Hanna
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sidjabat
authors.forename: Flavia
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Huygens
authors.forename: Megan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hargreaves
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D060766:Drinking Water / Q000382:microbiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D058889:Molecular Typing; D009161:Mycobacterium / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D009164:Mycobacterium Infections / Q000382:microbiology*; D013551:Swimming Pools; D014871:Water Microbiology; D014881:Water Supply
chemical_list: D060766:Drinking Water