Prevalence of non-tuberculous mycobacteria in a hospital environment

• Published in: The Journal of hospital infection Vol. 65; no. 2; pp. 143 - 148
• Main Authors: Shin, J.H, Lee, E.J, Lee, H.R, Ryu, S.M, Kim, H.R, Chang, C.L, Kim, Y.J, Lee, J.N
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kent Elsevier Ltd 01.02.2007; Elsevier
• Subjects: Bacterial diseases; Bacterial Proteins - genetics; Biological and medical sciences; Chaperonin 60; Chaperonins - genetics; Cross Infection - epidemiology; Cross Infection - microbiology; Cross-infection; General aspects; Hospital Environment; Human bacterial diseases; Human infectious diseases. Experimental studies and models; Humans; Immunodeficiencies; Immunodeficiencies. Immunoglobulinopathies; Immunopathology; Infectious Disease; Infectious diseases; Medical sciences; Mycobacterium - genetics; Mycobacterium - isolation & purification; Mycobacterium Infections - epidemiology; Mycobacterium Infections - microbiology; Non-tuberculous mycobacteria; Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length; rhoB GTP-Binding Protein - genetics; Tuberculosis and atypical mycobacterial infections; Water Microbiology; Water Supply; Waterborne infection; Asia; Korea; Non-tuberculous mycobacteria; Cross-infection; Hospital Environment; Waterborne infection; Immunopathology; Nosocomial infection; Opportunistic infection; Mycobacterium; Prevalence; Hospital environment; Mycobacterial infection; Epidemiology; Immune deficiency; Infection; Tuberculosis; Mycobacteriales; Bacteriosis; Mycobacteriaceae; Bacteria; Actinomycetes; Public health
• ISSN: 0195-6701; 1532-2939
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jhin.2006.10.004

Summary In recent years, non-tuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) have emerged as an important cause of opportunistic nosocomial infections but there is little known about the isolation and identification of NTM in Korea. The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of NTM in the hospital environment and identify the species. A total of 150 samples were collected from different parts of the hospital. NTM were isolated and identified by restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis of the gene encoding rpoB and partial sequencing analysis of hsp65 and rpoB . In this study, 60 strains of NTM were isolated from 50 of the 150 samples. Half of the tap water samples (50 of 100) were positive for mycobacteria. An estimated 73.3% of the isolates were saprophytic, 21.7% were potentially pathogenic and 5% were unidentified. The presence of NTM in hospital tap water is not uncommon. Such water isolates might cause true nosocomial infection in immunocompromised patients, in addition to the risk of false-positive culture results.