title: Mycobacterium heraklionensesp. nov.: A case series.
abstract: Mycobacterium heraklionensesp. nov. (M. heraklionense) is a novel non-tuberculous mycobacterium belonging to theMycobacterium terraecomplex that has recently been described. It has a world-wide distribution. Recently, a case of tenosynovitis in an immunocompetent individual caused byM. heraklionensewas reported, indicating that it has the ability to cause diseases. In the present study, in order to provide a more detailed profile of this mycobacterium and to obtain a more complete overall picture of its clinical significance, we report all available data regarding the initial 12 cases of its isolation. Of the 12 patients, 5 (42%) eventually died within a period of 3 months following the isolation of the mycobacterium. However, any connection between the presence ofM. heraklionenseand these deaths could not be documented. These 5 patients were all males with a mean age of 74.6 years suffering from serious underlying diseases, which most probably were the cause of death. Additional data from possible new cases ofM. heraklionenseisolation are anticipated.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Bacteriology, Parasitology, Zoonoses and Geographical Medicine, University Hospital of Heraklion, Heraklion, Crete, Greece.
authors.forename: Ioannis K
authors.initials: IK
authors.lastname: Neonakis
authors.affiliation: Department of Laboratory Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Crete, Heraklion, Crete, Greece.
authors.forename: Demetrios A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Spandidos
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Bacteriology, Parasitology, Zoonoses and Geographical Medicine, University Hospital of Heraklion, Heraklion, Crete, Greece.
authors.forename: Zoe
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Gitti
keywords: Mycobacterium heraklionense; tenosynovitis