Journal of Clinical Microbiology, March 1999, p. 600-605, Vol. 37, No. 3
0095-1137/99/$04.00+0
Copyright © 1999, American Society for Microbiology. All rights reserved.
Department of Mycobacteriology,
Received 13 July 1998/Returned for modification 13 October
1998/Accepted 7 December 1998
In the present study restriction fragment length polymorphism
analyses with the recently described insertion sequence
IS1245 as a probe was performed with clinical
Mycobacterium avium complex strains cultured in
Denmark during a 2-year period. The overall aim of the study was to
disclose potential routes of transmission of these microorganisms. As a
first step, the genetic diversity among isolates from AIDS patients and
non-human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected patients was described.
In addition, a number of isolates from nonhuman sources cultured during
the same period were analyzed and compared to the human isolates. A
total of 203 isolates from AIDS patients (n = 90),
non-HIV-infected patients (n = 91), and nonhuman sources
(n = 22) were analyzed. The presence of IS1245
was restricted to Mycobacterium avium subsp.
avium isolates. The majority of human isolates had large
numbers of IS1245 copies, while nonhuman isolates could be
divided into a high-copy-number group and a low-copy-number group.
Groups of identical strains were found to be geographically
widespread, comprising strains from AIDS patients as well as strains
from non-HIV-infected patients. Samples of peat (to be used as
potting soil) and veterinary samples were found to contain viable
M. avium isolates belonging to genotypes also found in humans.
*
Corresponding author. Mailing address: Department of
Mycobacteriology, Statens Serum Institut, Artillerivej 5, 2300 Copenhagen S, Denmark. Phone: 45 3268 3705. Fax: 45 3268 3871. E-mail:
jba{at}ssi.dk.
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