[The bacteriology of tuberculosis and non-tuberculosis mycobacterial infections]

Rev Mal Respir. 1997 Dec:14 Suppl 5:S33-48.
[Article in French]

Abstract

Changing incidence and nature of mycobacterial infections subsequent to the historical regression of tuberculosis and the acquired human immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) epidemic, as well as the development of new technical tools for molecular biology, have profoundly modified the methods used for the bacteriological diagnosis of mycobacteria infections. Although microscopic search for acid-fast bacilli, culture and antibiotic resistance tests on Löwenstein-Jensen medium remain the reference methods, more rapid and sophisticated methods are now available. Culture on radiolabeled media using the Bactec system has shortened the delay for positive culture and interpretable antibiotic sensitivity tests. Molecular techniques allow: 1) rapid identification of the most frequently isolated mycobacteria strains, including the most frequent laboratory contaminant M. gordonae, with genome probes; 2) genome typing of M. tuberculosis strains to trace interhuman transmission, detect recurrence or exogenous reinfection or demonstrate laboratory contamination; 3) rapid detection of rifampicin resistance; and 4) direct detection of M. tuberculosis and M. avium in pathological specimens. The role of mycobacteria in the environment causing opportunistic infections, atypical mycobacteria or non-tuberculosis mycobacteria (NTM), particularly the aviaire complex, has grown considerably. Isolation and identification relies on methods used to detect bacilli as well as blood cultures and analysis of fecal matter. NTM are naturally resistant to most of the antituberculosis antibiotics but are sometimes sensitive to aminoglycosides, fluoroquinolones or new macrolides.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections / microbiology
  • Aminoglycosides
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / therapeutic use
  • Anti-Infective Agents / therapeutic use
  • Antitubercular Agents / therapeutic use
  • Bacteriological Techniques
  • Culture Media
  • Drug Resistance, Microbial
  • Fluoroquinolones
  • Genome, Bacterial
  • Humans
  • Incidence
  • Macrolides
  • Microbial Sensitivity Tests
  • Molecular Biology
  • Mycobacterium Infections, Nontuberculous / microbiology*
  • Mycobacterium Infections, Nontuberculous / transmission
  • Mycobacterium avium / classification
  • Mycobacterium avium Complex / classification
  • Mycobacterium avium-intracellulare Infection / microbiology
  • Mycobacterium tuberculosis / classification*
  • Mycobacterium tuberculosis / drug effects
  • Mycobacterium tuberculosis / genetics
  • Mycobacterium tuberculosis / isolation & purification
  • Nontuberculous Mycobacteria / classification*
  • Nontuberculous Mycobacteria / drug effects
  • Nontuberculous Mycobacteria / genetics
  • Nontuberculous Mycobacteria / isolation & purification
  • Radiopharmaceuticals
  • Recurrence
  • Rifampin / therapeutic use
  • Tuberculosis, Multidrug-Resistant / microbiology
  • Tuberculosis, Pulmonary / microbiology*
  • Tuberculosis, Pulmonary / transmission

Substances

  • Aminoglycosides
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents
  • Anti-Infective Agents
  • Antitubercular Agents
  • Culture Media
  • Fluoroquinolones
  • Macrolides
  • Radiopharmaceuticals
  • Rifampin