Antimicrobial Susceptibility of Rapidly Growing Mycobacteria

The Clinical Microbiology Laboratory isolates rapidly growing mycobacteria at the rate of about five per month from clinical specimens, primarily sputum. Often contaminants, these mycobacteria can also cause serious disease, with some species more likely than others to cause disease. The three most common isolates are M. abscessus, M. chelonae, and M. fortuitum; of these M. abscessus is the one that most commonly causes disease. Clinically relevant isolates are tested at the laboratory of Richard Wallace, using disk diffusion and broth dilution methods (J Clin Microbiol 1999;37:1676) . The clinical validity of these results has not been determined in prospective studies, making it unclear how the results should be applied to treatment decisions. The interpretive guidelines ("sensitive, intermediate, resistant") have never been validated, and are borrowed from those used for other organisms. Regardless such results are often used for treatment decisons.

More information: ATS guideline on diagnosis and treatment of non-tuberculous mycobacterial diseases

written by Paul Edelstein Feb 2005; modified 4/13/07

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