Nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) pulmonary disease is becoming increasingly recognised as an emerging healthcare issue. Multiple studies have demonstrated an increasing prevalence throughout the world, with evidence of significant associated morbidity, mortality and healthcare costs [1, 2]. The most prevalent and important group leading to pulmonary disease is the Mycobacterium avium complex (...

Although the radiographic appearance of pulmonary MAC infection in the immunocompetent host can be varied, there are several generalizations that can be made. The classic radiographic appearance is indistinguishable from that of pulmonary tuberculosis. The classic form is seen most commonly in males and is typically associated with other predisposing diseases, especially chronic obstructive pul...

Background: The pathogenesis of Mycobacterium avium complex and Mycobacterium tuberculosis in the respiratory tract is poorly understood, as are the reasons for their differing virulence. We have previously shown that their initial adherence to the mucosa is identical. Methods: The interaction of M avium complex, M tuberculosis, and M smegmatis with human respiratory tissue was investigated in ...

Figure 1. Representative PCR results showing amplification (or otherwise) of 298-bp genomic fragment corresponding to IS900 in diabetic patients (lanes 1–8). Lanes 9 and 10, Control subjects without type 1 diabetes mellitus. Lanes 11 and 12, Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis–positive and M. avium subspecies paratuberculosis–negative control subjects, respectively. M, molecular mar...

abstract        background and objective: paratuberculosis is a chronic granulomatous enteritis of ruminants caused by mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (map). this study aimed to characterize the genome of the map 316f strain.       methods: the map 316f strain was subjected to the pcr-f57 and pcr-is900 experiments in order to ensure its identity as map. this was followed by appl...

The possibility that the strains included within the Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC), but not belonging either to M. avium or to Mycobacterium intracellulare, may be members of undescribed taxa, has already been questioned by several taxonomists. A very homogeneous cluster of 12 strains characterized by identical nucleotide sequences both in the 16S rDNA and in the 16S-23S internal transcribe...

With fluorescently labeled PNA (peptide nucleic acid) probes targeting 16S rRNA, we established a 3-h fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) procedure for specific visualization of members of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex, M. leprae, M. avium, and M. kansasii. Probe specificity was tested against a panel of 25 Mycobacterium spp. and 10 gram-positive organisms. After validation, prob...

Glycopeptidolipids (GPLs) are a class of glycolipids produced by several nontuberculosis-causing members of the Mycobacterium genus including pathogenic and nonpathogenic species. GPLs are expressed in different forms with production of highly antigenic, typeable serovar-specific GPLs in members of the Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC). M. avium and M. intracellulare, which comprise this comple...

Infections caused by the Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) are on the rise in both human and veterinary medicine. A means of effectively discriminating among closely related yet pathogenetically diverse members of the MAC would enable better diagnosis and treatment as well as further our understanding of the epidemiology of these pathogens. In this study, a five-target multiplex PCR designed to...