Species diversity and molecular characterization of nontuberculous mycobacteria in hospital water system of a developing country, Iran.
BACKGROUND
Hospital environment is of crucial importance in cross-transmission of opportunistic pathogens to the patients. Nontuberculous mycobacteria have the remarkable capability to withstand the adverse condition of hospital environments and pose a potential threat to the health of patients. The current study aimed to assess the frequency and diversity of mycobacteria in hospital water of a developing country using a combination of conventional and molecular methods.


METHODS
A total of 148 hospital water samples collected from 38 hospitals were analyzed for the presence of mycobacteria using standard protocols for isolation and characterization of the isolates. The conventional tests were used for preliminary identification and Runyon's classification, the PCR amplification of hsp65 gene and sequence analysis of 16S rRNA were applied for the genus and species identification.


RESULTS
A total of 71 [48%] isolates including 30 rapidly growing and 41 slowly growing mycobacteria were recovered. The three most prevalent species were M. lentiflavum, 28.2%, M. paragordonae, 21.1%, and M. fredriksbergense, 9.8%, followed by M. simiae and M. novocastrense, 7%, M. canariasense and M. cookii like, 5.6%, M. setense, 4.2%, M. fortuitum and M. gordonae, 2.8%, and the single isolates of M. austroafricanum, M. massiliense, M. obuense, and M. phocaicum like.


CONCLUSIONS
The results of our study show that the hospital water resources, drinking or non-drinking can be the reservoir of a diverse range of mycobacteria. This reaffirms the fact that these organisms due to intrinsic resistance to common antiseptic and disinfectant solutions persist in hospitals and create a threat to the patient's health and in particular to those that suffer from weakness of immunity.
Department of Microbiology, School of Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.
Davood
D
Azadi
Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine Research Center, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran. Electronic address: h_shojaei@idrc.mui.ac.ir.
Hasan
H
Shojaei
Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine Research Center, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.
Mahnaz
M
Pourchangiz
Department of Microbiology, School of Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.
Ramin
R
Dibaj
Department of Microbiology, School of Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.
Masoumeh
M
Davarpanah
Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine Research Center, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.
Abass Daei
AD
Naser
D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D015373:Bacterial Typing Techniques; D044822:Biodiversity; D018834:Chaperonin 60 / Q000235:genetics; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D004275:DNA, Ribosomal / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D003906:Developing Countries; D006761:Hospitals; D006801:Humans; D007492:Iran; D025202:Molecular Diagnostic Techniques; D009170:Nontuberculous Mycobacteria / Q000145:classification* / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D010802:Phylogeny; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / Q000235:genetics; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D014871:Water Microbiology
D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D018834:Chaperonin 60; D004275:DNA, Ribosomal; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S; C074119:heat-shock protein 65, Mycobacterium
16S rRNA sequencing; Hospital infection; Nontuberculous Mycobacterium (NTM)