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Published on: September 5, 2017
Prevalence and species diversity of non-tuberculous mycobacteria in North Texas
Manoj K Sah1, Lenin Mahimainathan2, Muluye Mesfin2
1Department of Pathology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA; Department of Health Sciences, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, USA.
Background:
Non-tuberculous mycobacterial (NTM) infections are an emerging group of related opportunistic pathogens resembling tuberculosis (TB) infections with a wide virulence spectrum. The diversity of the causative agents of NTM disease underscores the need for swift identification, as it differs by geographic regions, and treatment approaches vary. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of Non-tuberculous Mycobacteria recovered in North Texas.
Methods:
A retrospective study was conducted between January 1, 2022, to December 31, 2023. We included 15,724 pulmonary and extra-pulmonary specimens submitted to Acid Fast Bacilli (AFB) culture. A total of 820 specimens growing with the Mycobacterial species were counted for the final analysis. Species prevalence, site of growth, and seasonal trends were evaluated at our site.
Results:
In a total of 15,724 AFB cultures (5.21 %, n = 820), specimens were positive for twenty-four different species/subspecies of mycobacteria. Overall, the prevalence of NTM was (5.05 %, n = 795). Out of 820, the incidence of NTM was (97 %, n = 795) and M. tuberculosis complex (3 %, n = 25). 15.4 % (704/4574) of NTM were isolated from pulmonary and 0.82 % (91/11,150) from extra-pulmonary specimens. (63 %, n = 514) were slow-growing mycobacteria. The major NTM species were M. avium complex (MAC) (46 %, n = 375), followed by M. abscessus complex (23.78 %, n = 195), M. chelonae (4.9 %, n = 40), M. mucogenicum phocaicum (3.9 %, n = 32), and M. arupense (2.1 %, n = 17). Notably, MAC had cyclical low points in July and February but peaked in October. There was no seasonal pattern for M. abscessus complex.
Conclusions:
Our findings revealed that the frequency of NTM was much higher than TB. Remarkably, the prevalence of M. avium complex and M. abscessus complex occupies the top rank, with the emerging M. chelonae and M. mucogenicum phocaicum. This warrants a precise analytical approach to identify the NTM as the diverse geographical distribution and the needed species-specific treatment regimen to adopt control measures.
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