The emergence of mycobacterial resistance to multiple antimicrobials emphasizes the need for new compounds. The antimycobacterial activity of mefloquine has been recently described. Mycobacterium avium, Mycobacterium smegmatis, and Mycobacterium tuberculosis are susceptible to mefloquine in vitro, and activity was evidenced in vivo against M. avium. Attempts to obtain resistant mutants by both ...

We studied the role of CD43 (leukosialin/sialophorin), the negatively charged sialoglycoprotein of leukocytes, in the binding of mycobacteria to host cells. CD43-transfected HeLa cells bound Mycobacterium avium, but not Salmonella typhimurium or Shigella flexneri. Quantitative bacteriology showed that macrophages (M(phi)) from wild-type mice (CD43(+/+)) bound M. avium, Mycobacterium bovis (baci...

Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) for the diagnosis of Johne's disease (JD), caused by Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis, were developed using whole bacilli treated with formaldehyde (called WELISA) or surface antigens obtained by treatment of M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis bacilli with formaldehyde and then brief sonication (called SELISA). ELISA plates were coated with e...

These two species are difficult to differentiate and therefore they are also referred to collectively as Mycobacterium avium-intracellulare (MAI) . Although it might more logically be termed the Mycobacterium avium-intracellulare complex such nomenclature has not been adopted. They are both opportunistic pathogens that affect the immunocompromised, particularly HIV-positive individuals. They ca...

BACKGROUND Mycobacterium chimaera is a recently described species within the Mycobacterium avium complex. Its pathogenicity in respiratory tract infection remains disputed. It has never been isolated during cystic fibrosis respiratory tract infection. CASE PRESENTATION An 11-year-old boy of Asian ethnicity who was born on Réunion Island presented to our hospital with cystic fibrosis after a d...

BACKGROUND The incidence of M. tuberculosis (MTB) and non tuberculous Mycobacterium species (NTMs) like M. avium and M. kansasii has increased due to Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) epidemic. Therefore accurate, rapid and cost effective methods for the identification of these NTMs and MTB are greatly needed for appropriate TB management. Thus in this study we evaluated the performance of Lig...

The bactericidal activities of synthetic gastric juice and acidified porcine bile on Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis were assessed using propidium monoazide (PMA)-mediated quantitative reverse transcription-PCR, which allowed rapid relative quantitative analysis of viable M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis cells.

Recurrent, multifocal Mycobacterium avium-intercellulare infection in a patient with interferon-gamma autoantibody. Clin Infect Dis. 2009;49:e76–8. http://dx.doi.org/10.1086/605581 10. Havlir DV, Dubé MP, Sattler FR, Forthal DN, Kemper CA, Dunne MW, et al. Prophylaxis against disseminated Mycobacterium avium complex with weekly azithromycin, daily rifabutin, or both. California Collaborative Tr...

Non-tuberculous mycobacterias (NTMs) have many clinical manifestations in humans, depending on the underlying immunological status. We present a patient with Mycobacterium avium intracellulare pulmonary infection and co-existing, biopsy proven non-granulomatous organising pneumonia in distinct regions within the lungs. Treatment consisting of anti-mycobacterial therapy and corticosteroids led t...

Twenty-nine of 30 strains of Mycobacterium paratuberculosis isolated from clinical specimens were serologically identified. No cross-reactions were observed with Mycobacterium avium serotypes 1, 2, 4, and 8.