1993 Volume 68 Issue 7 Pages 479-486
From 1987 to 1991, 27 patients were diagnosed as atypical mycobacteriosis in ourhospital. Some strains of M. avium complex were found to be M. avium and M. intracel lulare by means of a DNA probe test.
1. Total cases consisted of 14 males (the average age was 66.7 years) and 13 females (65.7 years).
2. M. avium complex was observed in 24 patients (9 cases of M. avium and 5 cases of M. intracellulare): M. kansasii and M. chelonae were found in 2 patients and 1 patient, respectively.
3. The findings of sputum cultures became negative three months after the chemotherapy treatment in 3 out of 25 patients. Two male patients were operated on and cured. Three patients died, and all of them had respiratory infections.
4. To determine the susceptibility of mycobacteria strains isolated from patients to various antimicrobial agents, an investigation was carried out. There were 88 strains of M. tuberculosis, 52 strains of M. avium complex (23 strains of M. avium and 17 strains of M. intracellulare), 3 strains of M. kansasii, 2 strains of M. gordonae and 2 strains of M. chelonae.
5. Strains of M. tuberculosis, M. kansasii and M. gordonae were susceptible to various antituberculous agents and ciprofloxacin. Strains of M. chelonae were susceptible to ciprofloxacin, and one strain was susceptible to streptomycin and ethionamide.
6. The M. avium strains were more susceptible to cycloserine and ciprofloxacin than were the M. intracellulare strains. Conversely, the M. intracellulare strains were more susceptible to ethambutol than were the M. avium strains.
