Epidemiology of infection by nontuberculous mycobacteria.

Organisms of the Mycobacterium avium, M. intracellular, and M. scrofulaceum (MAIS) group were recovered in significant numbers from 63 soil samples collected from the floodplains of 4 major rivers in the eastern United States: Hudson (NY), James (VA), Savannah (GA, SC), and Tombigbee (AL, MS). The mean numbers of M. avium intracellulars, M. scrofulaceum, and MAIS-intermediate biovars recovered increased significantly from the Hudson to the James to the Tombigbee and Savannah soil samples, agreeing reasonably well with previous findings on MAIS distribution in eastern U.S. waters and with the geographic distribution of naval recruits reacting to PPD-B and PPD-G, which is higher in the southeastern United States. From the Savannah and Tombigbee rivers, soils were collected throughout their lengths. The number of total MAIS and biovars recovered from the different soil sites varied widely and showed no obvious trends. However, statistical analysis revealed a highly significant correlation between high number...

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Epidemiology of Infection by Nontuberculous Mycobacteria

Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (basonym M. paratuberculosis) is the etiologic agent of a severe gastroenteritis in ruminants known as Johne's disease. Economic losses to the cattle industry in the United States are staggering, reaching $1.5 billion annually. A potential pathogenic role in humans in the etiology of Crohn's disease is under investigation. In this article, we review the epidemiology, pathogenesis, diagnostics, and disease control measures of this important veterinary pathogen. We emphasize molecular genetic aspects including the description of markers used for strain identification, diagnostics, and phylogenetic analysis. Recent important advances in the development of animal models and genetic systems to study M. paratuberculosis virulence determinants are also discussed. We conclude with proposals for the applications of these models and recombinant technology to the development of diagnostic, control, and therapeutic measures.

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Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis in Veterinary Medicine.

In the last decade, DNA fingerprint techniques have become available to study the interperson transmission of tuberculosis and other mycobacterial infections. These methods have facilitated epidemiological studies at a population level. In addition, the species identification of rarely encountered mycobacteria has improved significantly. This article describes the state of the art of the main molecular typing methods for Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex and non-M. tuberculosis complex (atypical) mycobacteria. Important new insights that have been gained through molecular techniques into epidemiological aspects and diagnosis of mycobacterial diseases are highlighted.

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1046/j.1365-2796.2001.00772.x

Molecular epidemiology of tuberculosis and other mycobacterial infections: main methodologies and achievements.

Mycobacteria distenct from Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis isolated from the faeces of ruminants possess IS900-like sequences detectable IS900 polymerase chain reaction: implications for diagnosis.

Restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) was used to study 75 clinical isolates identified as Mycobacterium avium. Two repetitive insertion sequences, IS1311 and IS900, were used as DNA probes. Although less than 25% of isolates showed RFLP patterns with IS900, all strains gave banding patterns with IS1311. M. avium strains isolated from patients with AIDS exhibited marked polymorphism with both probes.

E Palenque

Papers

Use of restriction fragment length polymorphism as a genetic marker for typing Mycobacterium avium strains.