title: Clinical and microbiological features of definite Mycobacterium gordonae pulmonary disease: the establishment of diagnostic criteria for low-virulence mycobacteria.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Although Mycobacterium gordonae isolation from respiratory samples is usually regarded as contamination, M. gordonae can cause definite pulmonary disease. The establishment of a standard diagnostic criteria of pulmonary disease that is caused by this low virulence mycobacterium is obviously necessary.
  
  
  METHODS
  We performed clinical research on over 200 cases in which M. gordonae was isolated over an 8-year period, focusing on the M. gordonae subtype. Sequence analysis of rpoB was performed to identify the genotypes.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 287 respiratory samples (209 cases) were positive for M. gordonae. Twenty-seven cases (12.9%) had a positive culture more than twice and 11 of these cases (5.3%) had more than three positive cultures. Ultimately, three cases (1.4%) were newly diagnosed as M. gordonae pulmonary disease using our own diagnostic criteria. In all of the identified M. gordonae cases, the cultures tested positive with a Mycobacteria Growth Indicator Tube test at 24 days; however, in patients with definitive pulmonary disease, the cultures were positive at 9 days. A subtype analysis revealed that all of the definitive disease cases had subtype C.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The time taken to detect a positive culture and subtype of the isolates could be used as the diagnostic criteria for definite M. gordonae pulmonary disease.
authors.affiliation: Respiratory Disease Center, Fukujuji Hospital, Japan Anti-Tuberculosis Association, 3-1-24, Matsuyama Kiyose, Tokyo, Japan Department of Mycobacterial References & Research, The Research Institute of Tuberculosis, Japan Anti-Tuberculosis Association, 3-1-24, Matsuyama Kiyose, Tokyo, Japan morimotok@fukujuji.org.
authors.forename: Kozo
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Morimoto
authors.affiliation: Department of Mycobacterial References & Research, The Research Institute of Tuberculosis, Japan Anti-Tuberculosis Association, 3-1-24, Matsuyama Kiyose, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Yuko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kazumi
authors.affiliation: Respiratory Disease Center, Fukujuji Hospital, Japan Anti-Tuberculosis Association, 3-1-24, Matsuyama Kiyose, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Yuji
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Shiraishi
authors.affiliation: Respiratory Disease Center, Fukujuji Hospital, Japan Anti-Tuberculosis Association, 3-1-24, Matsuyama Kiyose, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yoshiyama
authors.affiliation: Department of Mycobacterial References & Research, The Research Institute of Tuberculosis, Japan Anti-Tuberculosis Association, 3-1-24, Matsuyama Kiyose, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Yoshiro
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Murase
authors.affiliation: Respiratory Medicine, Japanese Red Cross Medical Center, 4-1-22, Hiroo Shibuya, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Soichiro
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ikushima
authors.affiliation: Respiratory Disease Center, Fukujuji Hospital, Japan Anti-Tuberculosis Association, 3-1-24, Matsuyama Kiyose, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Atsuyuki
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kurashima
authors.affiliation: Respiratory Disease Center, Fukujuji Hospital, Japan Anti-Tuberculosis Association, 3-1-24, Matsuyama Kiyose, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Shoji
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kudoh
authors.affiliation: Respiratory Disease Center, Fukujuji Hospital, Japan Anti-Tuberculosis Association, 3-1-24, Matsuyama Kiyose, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Hajime
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Goto
authors.affiliation: Department of Mycobacterial References & Research, The Research Institute of Tuberculosis, Japan Anti-Tuberculosis Association, 3-1-24, Matsuyama Kiyose, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Shinji
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Maeda
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001431:Bacteriological Techniques; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008171:Lung Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009165:Mycobacterium Infections, Nontuberculous / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology; D009170:Nontuberculous Mycobacteria / Q000302:isolation & purification*
keywords: Contamination; Mycobacteria Growth Indicator Tube; Mycobacterium gordonae; RpoB sequence