BACKGROUND: Pulmonary infection with nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) is increasing in South Korea. Since treatment strategy differs by NTM species, accurate identification is necessary. In this study, using Mycobacterium pulmonary isolates recently recovered from a general hospital in Seoul, the prevalence of NTM isolates was investigated. METHODS: A total of 483 Mycobacterium pulmonary strains isolated between May and November 2018 from an 814-bed general hospital in South Korea were analyzed. Bacterial species were identified based on nucleotide sequences of the 16S–23S rDNA internal transcribed spacer and the rpoB gene. RESULTS: From a total of 1,209 pulmonary specimens from patients suspected to be infected with mycobacteria, 324 deduplicate strains were isolated, comprising 90 Mycobacterium tuberculosis and 229 NTM strains. Among the NTM isolates, 61.5% (n=144) were Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC), including 92 M. avium and 52 Mycobacterium intracellulare, while 8.1% (n=19) represented Mycobacterium abscessus, including 10 M. abscessus subsp. abscessus and 9 M. abscessus subsp. massiliense. In addition, 12 (5.1%) Mycobacterium lentiflavum, 12 (5.1%) Mycobacterium gordonae, 6 (2.6%) Mycobacterium kansasii, and 5 (2.1%) Mycobacterium fortuitum were identified. In addition, Mycobacterium mucogenicum (n=2), Mycobacterium septicum (n=1), Mycobacterium colombiens (n=1), Mycobacterium asiaticum (n=1), and Mycobacterium celatum (n=1) were identified. CONCLUSION: Among the recently recovered Mycobacterium pulmonary strains, more than half were identified as NTM, and MAC was the most prevalent NTM, followed by M. abcessuss.
Base Sequence ; DNA, Ribosomal ; Hospitals, General ; Humans ; Korea ; Mycobacterium ; Mycobacterium avium Complex ; Mycobacterium fortuitum ; Mycobacterium kansasii ; Mycobacterium tuberculosis ; Nontuberculous Mycobacteria ; Prevalence ; Seoul ; Tertiary Care Centers ; Tertiary Healthcare

We performed molecular identification of clinical isolates of Mycobacterium fortuitum (M. fortuitum) and conducted drug susceptibility testing to analyze the in vitro susceptibility of clinical M. fortuitum isolates and potential molecular mechanism conferring resistance to fluoroquinolone and macrolide drugs. The results showed that moxifloxacin had the highest in vitro activity against M. fortuitum, and most M. fortuitum isolates were resistant to clarithromycin and linezolid in China. The loss of genetic mutation in clarithromycin- and amikacin-resistant isolates indicates that some other intrinsic mechanism conferring clarithromycin and amikacin resistance plays an essential role in M. fortuitum infection.
Antitubercular Agents ; pharmacology ; China ; Drug Resistance, Bacterial ; Microbial Sensitivity Tests ; Mycobacterium fortuitum ; drug effects

Atypical mycobacteria, widely distributed in nature, are opportunistic infection strain, rare pathogen in immunocompetent patients. Recently, the increase of invasive cosmetic treatment and surgery has increased the infection of atypical mycobacteria. We report a case of cutaneous infection by Mycobacterium fortuitum and Mycobacterium intracellulare that occurred after a fat graft. A 62-year-old female patient presented painful, erythematous nodules and purulent discharge on her face after a fat graft. A skin biopsy and culture were performed. Polymerase chain reaction-hybridization to identify mycobacterium other than tuberculosis revealed M. fortuitum and M. intracellulare. The patient was treated with clarithromycin, rifampicin, and ethambutol for 1 month after excision and drainage of pus, after which the skin lesions improved. In cases of refractory cutaneous infection after an invasive cosmetic procedure, atypical mycobacterial infection should be suspected.
Biopsy ; Clarithromycin ; Coinfection* ; Drainage ; Ethambutol ; Female ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Mycobacterium avium Complex* ; Mycobacterium fortuitum* ; Mycobacterium* ; Nontuberculous Mycobacteria ; Opportunistic Infections ; Rifampin ; Skin ; Suppuration ; Transplants* ; Tuberculosis

BACKGROUND: Tuberculosis is globally the most important cause of death from single pathogen. Rapid and accurate identification of mycobacteria is essential for the control of tuberculosis. We evaluated a fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) method using peptide nucleic acid (PNA) probes for the differentiation of Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTB) and nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) in direct smears of sputum specimens. METHODS: The cross-reactivity of MTB- and NTM-specific PNA probes was examined with reference strains of M. tuberculosis ATCC 13950, Mycobacterium kansasii ATCC 12479, Mycobacterium fortuitum ATCC 6841, several clinical isolates of mycobacteria (Mycobacterium abscessus, Mycobacterium avium, Mycobacterium intracellulare, Mycobacterium gordonae and Mycobacterium chelonae), and 11 frequently isolated respiratory bacterial species other than mycobacteria. A series of 128 sputa (89 MTB culture positive, 29 NTM culture positive, and 10 under treatment culture negative) with grades of trace to 4+ were used to evaluate the performance of the method. RESULTS: The MTB- and NTM-specific PNA probes showed specific reactions with the reference strains of MTB and M. kansasii and clinical isolates of mycobacteria except M. fortuitum ATCC 6841, and no cross-reactivity with other tested bacteria. The PNA probe-based FISH assay for detection of MTB had a sensitivity and specificity of 100%, respectively. The sensitivity and specificity of the NTM-specific PNA probe was 100%. The smear grades of the PNA FISH test were same as with those of the fluorescence AFB stain in 2+ or higher grade. CONCLUSION: Detection and differentiation based on PNA FISH is sensitive and accurate for detecting mycobacteria and for differentiating MTB from NTM in clinical sputum smears.
Bacteria ; Cause of Death ; Fluorescence* ; In Situ Hybridization* ; Mycobacterium ; Mycobacterium avium ; Mycobacterium avium Complex ; Mycobacterium fortuitum ; Mycobacterium kansasii ; Mycobacterium tuberculosis* ; Nontuberculous Mycobacteria* ; Peptide Nucleic Acids ; Sputum ; Tuberculosis

Mycobacterium fortuitum is a rapidly growing mycobacteria that causes skin and soft tissue infection, pulmonary infection, and occasionally disseminated disease in severely immunocompromised patients. While three cases of spondylitis caused by M. fortuitum have been reported, no case has been reported in Korea. We describe the first reported case of M. fortuitum spondylitis and an epidural abscess after lumbar acupuncture, and a surgical procedure to treat spinal stenosis.
Acupuncture ; Epidural Abscess* ; Immunocompromised Host ; Korea ; Mycobacterium fortuitum* ; Skin ; Soft Tissue Infections ; Spinal Stenosis ; Spondylitis*

Rapidly growing mycobacteria are ubiquitous in the environment and are increasingly being recognized as opportunistic pathogens. Recently, a new species, Mycobacteium conceptionense, has been validated from the Mycobacterium fortuitum third biovariant complex by molecular analysis. However, there are few reports, and postsurgical wound infection by this species is rare. We report a case of postsurgical wound infection caused by M. conceptionense in an immunocompetent patient that was identified by a sequencing analysis of 16S rRNA, hps65, and rpoB genes.
Humans ; Mycobacterium fortuitum ; Mycobacterium* ; Wound Infection* ; Wounds and Injuries*

BACKGROUND: As the immunocompromised population has increased in recent years, the number of cutaneous nontuberculous mycobacterial (NTM) infections has also risen. However, since this affliction has no pathognomonic clinical or histological features, the diagnosis and treatment of cutaneous NTM infections are often delayed. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate the microbiological, clinical, and histological findings of cutaneous NTM infections. METHODS: We reviewed medical records and histologic slides of 10 patients diagnosed with cutaneous NTM infections confirmed by culture or polymerase chain reaction. RESULTS: All patients except one were immunocompetent, and 5 of 10 patients had preceding factors including trauma, liposuction, and intralesional triamcinolone injection. Microbiologically, of the 10 infections, 5 were caused by Mycobacterium marinum, 3 by Mycobacterium fortuitum, and 1 each by Mycobacterium chelonae and Mycobacterium ulcerans, respectively. Of the 5 patients with M. marinum, 2 had a fish-related job and 1 reared fish at a home aquarium. The most common clinical presentation was erythematous nodules (7/10). Histologically, irregular acanthosis (4/10), mixed cell infiltrate of lymphocytes, histiocytes, neutrophils (9/10), suppurative granuloma (7/10), microcysts lined by neutrophils (5/10), fibrosis (4/10), and panniculitis (7/10) were identified. CONCLUSION: We found microcysts lined by neutrophils in 50% of the samples and considered this finding to be a diagnostic marker of NTM infection. These clinicopathologic features will assist clinicians in diagnosing NTM infection more rapidly and accurately.
Diagnosis ; Fibrosis ; Granuloma ; Histiocytes ; Humans ; Lipectomy ; Lymphocytes ; Medical Records ; Mycobacterium chelonae ; Mycobacterium fortuitum ; Mycobacterium marinum ; Mycobacterium ulcerans ; Neutrophils ; Nontuberculous Mycobacteria ; Panniculitis ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Triamcinolone

Managing chronic cough is diagnostically challenging especially in primary care. This case report highlights the difficulties experienced in approaching a case of chronic cough from a primary care perspective. The discussion also involves the clinical significance and treatment dilemma of M. fortuitum chelonae complex that was isolated from the sputum cultures of an elderly woman who presented with chronic cough for more than a year.
Mycobacterium Infections, Nontuberculous ; Mycobacterium fortuitum ; Primary Health Care

BACKGROUND: Nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) are ubiquitous in soil and water. Most NTM cause disease in humans only rarely unless some aspect of host defense is impaired. Recently, rapidly growing mycobacteria (RGM) is not uncommon, and the prevalence of RGM infection has been increasing. RGM causes a wide spectrum of pulmonary and extrapulmonary diseases and has been shown as an important source for opportunistic infection. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We report 5 patients of skin and soft tissue infection due to RGM in tertiary medical center in Jeju Island and analyzed 21 patients of skin and soft tissue infection due to RGM in Republic of Korea. Clinical, microbiological and epidemiological data were collected from each patient. NTM isolates were identified using conventional and molecular methods including 16S rDNA gene sequencing. RESULTS: The mean age of the RGM patients (n=26) was 54.9 +/- 15.9 years and 73% were women. Mycobacterium fortuitum complex was the most common (12/26). Antimicrobial resistance for clarithromycin and quinolone were 12% and 60%, respectively. Clarithromycin based therapy was done in 46%. The mean duration of treatment was 21.2 +/- 8.7 weeks. CONCLUSIONS: Many cases can be cured after therapy for 4-7 month with at least 2 or 3 antibiotics according to in vitro susceptibility. Recent increasing of NTM cases suggests that species and subspecies identification is epidemiologically important, especially related to medical procedure, and surgery.
Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Clarithromycin ; DNA, Ribosomal ; Female ; Humans ; Mycobacterium fortuitum ; Nontuberculous Mycobacteria ; Prevalence ; Republic of Korea ; Skin ; Soft Tissue Infections ; Soil

We report a case of Mycobacterium fortuitum infection of the face and abdomen in a 25 years old man following cosmetic autologous fat injection. The goal of this manuscript is to increase awareness and suspicion of such as atypical mycobacterial infections complicating liposuction and fat injection. The clinical presentation, laboratory studies utilizing acid-fast stains and cultures, prevention and treatment including surgical debridement, and pharmacologic regimens in the ultimate diagnosis for Mycobacterium fortuitum infections are discussed.
Abdomen ; Coloring Agents ; Cosmetics ; Debridement ; Lipectomy ; Mycobacterium ; Mycobacterium fortuitum