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Isolation of nontuberculous mycobacteria from hospital waters in Turkey
Author(s) -
Genc Gonca Erkose,
Richter Elvira,
Erturan Zayre
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
apmis
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.909
H-Index - 88
eISSN - 1600-0463
pISSN - 0903-4641
DOI - 10.1111/apm.12066
Subject(s) - nontuberculous mycobacteria , mycobacterium , antimycobacterial , microbiology and biotechnology , mycobacterium abscessus , mycobacterium avium complex , isolation (microbiology) , chloramine , chlorine , veterinary medicine , biology , medicine , chemistry , mycobacterium tuberculosis , tuberculosis , pathology , organic chemistry
Nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) are ubiquitous in hot and cold water distribution systems. With molecular typing methods it was shown that water can be the source of colonization and infection with NTM. The aim of our study was the investigation of NTM in hot and cold water samples taken from various departments of two hospitals in Istanbul, Turkey. Totally, 160 water samples were examined. The temperature, pH , and free chlorine levels of water samples were measured between 10–41 °C, 6.78–7.98 and <0.3–0.5 mg/L, respectively. NTM were detected in 33 (20.6%) samples. Totally 20 (60.6%), 10 (30.3%) and 3 (9.1%) isolates were identified as Mycobacterium lentiflavum , Mycobacterium gordonae , and Mycobacterium peregrinum , respectively. M. lentiflavum, which was the most frequently isolated NTM, is characterized by multiple resistance to antimycobacterial drugs. Although no infections with this mycobacterium were reported from our country so far, preventive measures may be considered in patients under immunosuppression. Because no significant correlations were found among the presence of NTM or species distribution and water temperature, pH or free chlorine levels, other factors need to be investigated.