title: Nontuberculous mycobacteria in respiratory samples from patients with pulmonary tuberculosis in the state of Rondônia, Brazil.
abstract: The main cause of pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) is infection with Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB). We aimed to evaluate the contribution of nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) to pulmonary disease in patients from the state of Rondônia using respiratory samples and epidemiological data from TB cases. Mycobacterium isolates were identified using a combination of conventional tests, polymerase chain reaction-based restriction enzyme analysis of hsp65 gene and hsp65 gene sequencing. Among the 1,812 cases suspected of having pulmonary TB, 444 yielded bacterial cultures, including 369 cases positive for MTB and 75 cases positive for NTM. Within the latter group, 14 species were identified as Mycobacterium abscessus, Mycobacterium avium, Mycobacterium fortuitum, Mycobacterium intracellulare, Mycobacterium gilvum, Mycobacterium gordonae, Mycobacterium asiaticum, Mycobacterium tusciae, Mycobacterium porcinum, Mycobacterium novocastrense, Mycobacterium simiae, Mycobacterium szulgai, Mycobacterium phlei and Mycobacterium holsaticum and 13 isolates could not be identified at the species level. The majority of NTM cases were observed in Porto Velho and the relative frequency of NTM compared with MTB was highest in Ji-Paraná. In approximately half of the TB subjects with NTM, a second sample containing NTM was obtained, confirming this as the disease-causing agent. The most frequently observed NTM species were M. abscessus and M. avium and because the former species is resistant to many antibiotics and displays unsatisfactory cure rates, the implementation of rapid identification of mycobacterium species is of considerable importance.
authors.affiliation: Centro Interdepartamental de Biologia Experimental e Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal de Rondônia, Porto Velho, RO, Brasil. cleoniml@yahoo.com.br
authors.forename: Cleoni Alves Mendes de
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Lima
authors.forename: Harrison Magdinier
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Gomes
authors.forename: Maraníbia Aparecida Cardoso
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Oelemann
authors.forename: Jesus Pais
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Ramos
authors.forename: Paulo Cezar
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Caldas
authors.forename: Carlos Eduardo Dias
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Campos
authors.forename: Márcia Aparecida da Silva
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Pereira
authors.forename: Fátima Fandinho Onofre
authors.initials: FF
authors.lastname: Montes
authors.forename: Maria do Socorro Calixto de
authors.initials: Mdo S
authors.lastname: Oliveira
authors.forename: Philip Noel
authors.initials: PN
authors.lastname: Suffys
authors.forename: Maria Manuela da Fonseca
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Moura
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009170:Nontuberculous Mycobacteria / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D015995:Prevalence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013183:Sputum / Q000382:microbiology; D014397:Tuberculosis, Pulmonary / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology*; D055815:Young Adult