Non-tuberculous mycobacteria profiles and their anti-mycobacterial resistance at a major medical center in Lebanon

Infection with non-tuberculosis mycobacteria (NTM) has been on the rise globally causing a wide spectrum of respiratory and extrapulmonary infections in humans. Studies on these pathogens from the Middle-East including Lebanon are scarce. This retrospective study addresses the approach used for inve...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of infection in developing countries 2019-07, Vol.13 (7), p.612-618
Main Authors: Araj, George F, Baba, Omar Z, Itani, Lina Y, Avedissian, Aline Z, Sobh, Ghena M
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Antimicrobial agents
Medical laboratories
Tuberculosis
Citations: Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:Infection with non-tuberculosis mycobacteria (NTM) has been on the rise globally causing a wide spectrum of respiratory and extrapulmonary infections in humans. Studies on these pathogens from the Middle-East including Lebanon are scarce. This retrospective study addresses the approach used for investigation, speciation and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) profiles of recovered NTM isolates from respiratory sources at a major tertiary care center in Lebanon during two periods (2003-2007 and 2013-2017). Processing of specimens, culture and differentiation of recovered NTM isolates from Mycobacterium tuberculosis were done in-house according to standard procedures. Upon request, speciation and AMR testing were performed using molecular and broth dilution methods, respectively, at Mayo Medical Laboratories (Rochester, Minnesota, USA). Among 108 NTM analyzed isolates, 8 species were revealed during the two periods: M. simiae (51% vs 61%), M. avium complex (MAC) (6 % vs 12%) M. fortuitum (12% vs 5%), M. gordonae (6% vs 5%), M. abscessus (6% vs 7%), M. immunogenum (12% vs 0%), M. szulgai (4% vs 0%) and M. peregrinum (0% vs 2%). M. simiae isolates showed high susceptibility (93%-96%) to amikacin and clarithromycin, but high resistance to rifampin, ethambutol, ciprofloxacin, rifabutin, linezolid, trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole and moxifloxacin. MAC isolates were only susceptible to clarithromycin (86%). M. abscessus isolates were uniformly susceptible to amikacin (100%). The revelaed different NTM species, with predominance of M.simiae and various AMR profiles provide a current epidemiologic database and help guiding the selection of appropriate empirical therapy once the clinical relevance is established.
ISSN:1972-2680
2036-6590
1972-2680
DOI:10.3855/jidc.11028