DNA probe reactivity of Mycobacterium avium complex isolates from patients without AIDS

Mycobacterium avium complex isolates from 27 patients without AIDS and from 76 patients with AIDS were analyzed with the Gen-Probe Rapid Diagnostic System for Mycobacterium avium complex, and a retrospective chart review was performed to determine clinical significance of the isolates. While 87% of isolates from AIDS patients reacted only with the M. avium probe, only 37% from non-AIDS patients were M. avium probe positive (p less than 0.001). This pattern among non-AIDS patients was also observed among the 13 patients from whom isolates were considered to be clinically significant. Reactivity to both probes occurred with three isolates, two from non-AIDS patients that were not clinically significant and one from an AIDS patient. Results of further testing suggested that these represented dual infection with two coexisting strains. Awareness of the differences in DNA probe reactivity between isolates from AIDS and non-AIDS patients may influence testing strategies in the clinical laboratory.