Isolation and characteristics of Mycobacterium avium complex from water and soil samples in Uganda.

SETTING Mycobacterium avium complex organisms have not been isolated from late stage AIDS patients in Uganda. This could possibly be due to the absence of M. avium complex in the Uganda environment. OBJECTIVE AND DESIGN Determine whether M. avium complex organisms could be isolated from water and soils collected in the living environment of Ugandan AIDS patients. RESULTS Representatives of the M avium complex were isolated from 3 of 7 (43%) water and 3 of 7 (43%) soil samples collected in Kampala, Uganda. The average number of colony-forming units per ml water was 3.3 and average colony-forming units per gram of soil was 7825. In terms of growth characteristics, antimicrobial susceptibility patterns, and the presence or absence of plasmids and IS901, Ugandan M. avium complex isolates were similar to those isolated from the US and European AIDS patients and their environment. CONCLUSIONS M. avium complex organisms sharing genetic and physiological characteristics of M. avium complex isolates recovered from patients with AIDS can be isolated from water and soil samples in Uganda.