title: Strain variation amongst clinical and potable water isolates of M. kansasii using automated repetitive unit PCR.
abstract: Mycobacterium kansasii is a pulmonary pathogen that has been grown readily from municipal water, but rarely isolated from natural waters. A definitive link between water exposure and disease has not been demonstrated and the environmental niche for this organism is poorly understood. Strain typing of clinical isolates has revealed seven subtypes with Type 1 being highly clonal and responsible for most infections worldwide. The prevalence of other subtypes varies geographically. In this study 49 water isolates are compared with 72 patient isolates from the same geographical area (Brisbane, Australia), using automated repetitive unit PCR (Diversilab) and ITS_RFLP. The clonality of the dominant clinical strain type is again demonstrated but with rep-PCR, strain variation within this group is evident comparable with other reported methods. There is significant heterogeneity of water isolates and very few are similar or related to the clinical isolates. This suggests that if water or aerosol transmission is the mode of infection, then point source contamination likely occurs from an alternative environmental source.
authors.affiliation: Gallipoli Medical Research, Centre Greenslopes Private Hospital, Brisbane, QLD, Australia. Electronic address: r.thomson@uq.edu.au.
authors.forename: Rachel
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Thomson
authors.affiliation: QLD Mycobacterial Reference Laboratory, Pathology Queensland, RBWH Campus, Herston Rd., Herston, QLD 4059, Australia.
authors.forename: Carla
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Tolson
authors.affiliation: Queensland University of Technology, Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, Kelvin Grove Campus, Brisbane, QLD 4059, Australia. Electronic address: f.huygens@qut.edu.au.
authors.forename: Flavia
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Huygens
authors.affiliation: Queensland University of Technology, Faculty of Science and Technology, George Street, Brisbane QLD 4001, Australia. Electronic address: m.hargreaves@qut.edu.au.
authors.forename: Megan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hargreaves
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001315:Australia / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics; D021903:DNA, Ribosomal Spacer / Q000235:genetics; D060766:Drinking Water / Q000382:microbiology*; D005260:Female; D014644:Genetic Variation; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017720:Molecular Epidemiology; D058889:Molecular Typing; D009165:Mycobacterium Infections, Nontuberculous / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology*; D019909:Mycobacterium kansasii / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012150:Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length; D012091:Repetitive Sequences, Nucleic Acid / Q000235:genetics; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D021903:DNA, Ribosomal Spacer; D060766:Drinking Water
keywords: Genotyping; Microbial transmission; Molecular epidemiology; Mycobacterium kansasii; Nontuberculous mycobacteria