Tuberc Respir Dis.  2005 Mar;58(3):248-256. 10.4046/trd.2005.58.3.248.

Isolation of Nontuberculous Mycobacteria by DNA Probe and Clinical Characteristics of Patients with NTM Pulmonary Disease

• Kim HK
• Kim YR
• Park JP
• Kim NH
• Ok CH
• Jung MH
• Jang TW
• Jeong SH
• Kim CM
• Park HK

• KMID: 2009833
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4046/trd.2005.58.3.248

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Nontuberculous mycobacterial (NTM) infections are increasingly being recognized as a cause of chronic pulmonary disease. This study describes the prevalence of NTM species from clinical specimens and the clinical characteristics of NTM pulmonary disease. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The NTM isolated from March 2003 to December 2003 at the Kosin Medical Center were identified using an oligonucleotide chip containing the internal transcribed space (ITS) sequence. The medical records of the patients with the NTM isolates, who fulfilled the 1997 ATS diagnostic criteria for NTM pulmonary disease, were analyzed, retrospectively.
RESULTS
Twenty four species (24.2%) of NTM were isolated from 99 cultured AFB specimens. M. avium complex (MAC) (13 isolates), M. szulgai (3), M. kansasii (2), M. malmoense (2), M. abscessus (1), M. chelonae (1), M. scrofulaceum (1), and unclassified (1). Of the 23 patients with isolated NTM, 11 patients were found to be compatible with a NTM pulmonary infection according to the ATS criteria; MAC was found in 6 cases (54.5%), M. szulgai in 2 cases (18.2%), and M. abscessus, M. szulgai, M. kansasii and M. malmoense in 1 case each (9.1%). Ten patients (91%) were male and the median age at diagnosis was 61 years. In the pre-existing diseases, malignant disease was found in 6 cases including 5 patients with lung cancer, and history of old pulmonary tuberculosis was identified in 4 cases. The radiological patterns showed lung destruction lung in 3 cases, a cavitary mass in 3 cases, a nodular pattern in 2 cases, and reticulonodular, consolidation and a bronchiectasis pattern were in 1 case each.
CONCLUSION
Various types of NTM pulmonary diseases were`found in a tertiary hospital at Busan, Korea. The NTM pulmonary diseases were caused by MAC, M. szugai, M. kansasii, M. malmoense, M. abscessus, M. chelonae, and M. scrofulaceum in the order of frequency.

Keyword

Pulmonary tuberculosis; NTM; Microbiology; DNA probe

MeSH Terms

Bronchiectasis
Busan
Diagnosis
DNA*
Humans
Korea
Lung
Lung Diseases*
Lung Neoplasms
Male
Medical Records
Nontuberculous Mycobacteria*
Preexisting Condition Coverage
Prevalence
Retrospective Studies
Tertiary Care Centers
Tuberculosis, Pulmonary
DNA