Nontuberculous Mycobacteria Isolated from Tuberculosis Suspects in Ibadan, Nigeria.
In Nigeria, one of the highest tuberculosis (TB) burdened nations, sputum smear microscopy is routinely employed for TB diagnosis at Directly Observed Treatment Short-Course (DOTS) Centers. This diagnostic algorithm does not differentiate Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTC) from nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM). Between December 2008 and January 2009, consecutive patients diagnosed with TB were screened for inclusion at 10 DOTS centers in Ibadan, Nigeria. To verify Mycobacterium species in patients diagnosed, we cultured and identified mycobacterial isolates using PCR, line probe assay, and spoligotyping techniques. From 48 patients screened, 23 met the inclusion criteria for the study. All the 23 study patients had a positive culture. Overall, we identified 11/23 patients (48%) with MTC only, 9/23 (39%) with NTM only, and 3/23 (13%) with evidence of both MTC and NTM. Strains of MTC identified were Latin American Mediterranean (LAM) genotype (n = 12), M. africanum (n = 1), and the genotype family T (n = 1). Four M. avium-intracellulare-M. scrofulaceum complexes, one M. chelonae complex, one M. abscessus, and one M. intracellulare were identified. Our findings underscore the need to incorporate molecular techniques for more precise diagnosis of TB at DOTS centers to improve clinical outcomes and safe guard public health, particularly in TB endemic countries.
Tuberculosis and Brucellosis Research Laboratories, Department of Veterinary Public Health & Preventive Medicine, University of Ibadan, Ibadan 200005, Nigeria.
Simeon Idowu
SI
Cadmus
Project SEREFO (Centre de Recherche et de Formation sur le VIH/Sida et la Tuberculose)/University of Sciences, Technics and Technologies of Bamako (USTTB), Bamako, Mali.
Bassirou
B
Diarra
Centre d'Infectiologie Charles Mérieux, rue Dr. Charles Mérieux, ex-base aérienne, BP E2283, Bamako, Mali.
Brehima
B
Traore
Project SEREFO (Centre de Recherche et de Formation sur le VIH/Sida et la Tuberculose)/University of Sciences, Technics and Technologies of Bamako (USTTB), Bamako, Mali.
Mamoudou
M
Maiga
Project SEREFO (Centre de Recherche et de Formation sur le VIH/Sida et la Tuberculose)/University of Sciences, Technics and Technologies of Bamako (USTTB), Bamako, Mali.
Sophia
S
Siddiqui
Project SEREFO (Centre de Recherche et de Formation sur le VIH/Sida et la Tuberculose)/University of Sciences, Technics and Technologies of Bamako (USTTB), Bamako, Mali.
Anatole
A
Tounkara
Department of Microbiology, University of Ibadan, Ibadan 200005, Nigeria.
Olutayo
O
Falodun
Tuberculosis and Leprosy Division, Oyo State Ministry of Health, Ibadan 200005, Nigeria.
Wole
W
Lawal
Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University College Hospital, Ibadan 200005, Nigeria.
Isaac Folurunso
IF
Adewole
Division of Infectious Disease and Center for Global Health, Northwestern University, 645 North Michigan Avenue, Chicago, IL 60611, USA.
Rob
R
Murphy
Diagnostic Laboratory for Bacteriology and Parasitology (BPD), Center for Infectious Disease Research, Diagnostics and Perinatal Screening (IDS), National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), P.O. Box 1, 3720 BA Bilthoven, Netherlands.
Dick
D
van Soolingen
Division of Infectious Disease and Center for Global Health, Northwestern University, 645 North Michigan Avenue, Chicago, IL 60611, USA.
Babafemi
B
Taiwo