TY - JOUR AU - Araj, George F AU - Baba, Omar Z AU - Itani, Lina Y AU - Avedissian, Aline Z AU - Sobh, Ghena M PY - 2019/07/31 Y2 - 2024/03/29 TI - Non-tuberculous mycobacteria profiles and their anti-mycobacterial resistance at a major medical center in Lebanon JF - The Journal of Infection in Developing Countries JA - J Infect Dev Ctries VL - 13 IS - 07 SE - Original Articles DO - 10.3855/jidc.11028 UR - https://jidc.org/index.php/journal/article/view/32065818 SP - 612-618 AB - <p>Introduction: Infection with non-tuberculosis mycobacteria (NTM) has been on the rise globally causing a wide spectrum of respiratory and extrapulmonary infections in humans. Studies on these pathogens from the Middle-East including Lebanon are scarce.</p><p>Methodology: This retrospective study addresses the approach used for investigation, speciation and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) profiles of recovered NTM isolates from respiratory sources at a major tertiary care center in Lebanon during two periods (2003-2007 and 2013-2017). Processing of specimens, culture and differentiation of recovered NTM isolates from <em>Mycobacterium tuberculosis</em> were done in-house according to standard procedures. Upon request, speciation and AMR testing were performed using molecular and broth dilution methods, respectively, at Mayo Medical Laboratories (Rochester, Minnesota, USA).</p><p>Results: Among 108 NTM analyzed isolates, 8 species were revealed during the two periods: <em>M</em>. <em>simiae</em> (51%<em> vs </em>61%), <em>M</em>. <em>avium </em>complex (MAC) (6 % <em>vs</em> 12%) <em>M</em>. <em>fortuitum</em> (12% <em>vs</em> 5%), <em>M</em>. <em>gordonae</em> (6% <em>vs</em> 5%), <em>M</em>. <em>abscessus</em> (6% <em>vs </em>7%), <em>M</em>. <em>immunogenum</em> (12% <em>vs</em> 0%), <em>M</em>. <em>szulgai</em> (4% <em>vs</em> 0%) and <em>M</em>. <em>peregrinum</em> (0% <em>vs</em> 2%). <em>M</em>. <em>simiae</em> isolates showed high susceptibility (93%-96%) to amikacin and clarithromycin, but high resistance to rifampin, ethambutol, ciprofloxacin, rifabutin, linezolid, trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole and moxifloxacin. MAC isolates were only susceptible to clarithromycin (86%). <em>M</em>. <em>abscessus</em> isolates were uniformly susceptible to amikacin (100%).</p><p>Conclusion: The revelaed different NTM species, with predominance of <em>M.simiae </em>and various AMR profiles provide a current epidemiologic database and help guiding the selection of appropriate empirical therapy once the clinical relevance is established.</p> ER -