Steven De Keukeleire1, Vanessa Mathys2, Sigi Van den Wijngaert3, Martine Van De Vyvere4, Stijn Jonckheere5, Hans De Beenhouwer5, Annelies De Bel6, Wouter Arrazola de Onate7, Maryse Wanlin7, Denis Piérard1, Eric Nulens8, Veroniek Saegeman9,10. 1. a Department of Microbiology and Infection Control , University Hospital Brussel, Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) , Brussels , Belgium. 2. b National Reference Centre of Tuberculosis and Mycobacteria, Communicable and Infectious Diseases , Scientific Institute of Public Health (WIV-ISP) , Brussels , Belgium. 3. c Iris-Lab, Department of Microbiology , Iris-Brussels Public Hospitals Network , Brussels , Belgium. 4. d Department of Microbiology , ZNA Hospitals , Antwerp , Belgium. 5. e Clinical Laboratory of Microbiology , OLVZ Aalst , Aalst , Belgium. 6. f Department of Microbiology , AZ Groeninge , Kortrijk , Belgium. 7. g Belgian Lung and Tuberculosis Association BELTA , Brussels , Belgium. 8. h Department of Microbiology , AZ Sint-Jan Brugge-Ostend AV , Bruges , Belgium. 9. i Department of Laboratory Medicine , UZ Leuven , Leuven , Belgium. 10. j Department of Microbiology and Immunology , KU Leuven , Leuven , Belgium.
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: Currently, there are no European data about the frequency and clinical significance of nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) grown from respiratory samples during the treatment of tuberculosis (TB). We determined the frequency and clinical significance of NTM isolated before or during pulmonary tuberculosis treatment in Belgian laboratories. METHODS: We conducted a nationwide retrospective multicenter cohort study on the co-isolation of TB and NTM in Belgium. Starting from laboratory data between 2006 and 2013, possible TB-NTM co-isolations were searched for. RESULTS: A total of 2569 unique culture-positive pulmonary tuberculosis cases were included in the study. Only 35 (1.4%) of these TB cases had an NTM co-isolated, and two of these 35 fulfilled the ATS criteria for NTM lung disease. CONCLUSION: A very low prevalence of 1.4% NTM co-isolations was found in Belgian patients with culture-proven pulmonary TB.
OBJECTIVES: Currently, there are no European data about the frequency and clinical significance of nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) grown from respiratory samples during the treatment of tuberculosis (TB). We determined the frequency and clinical significance of NTM isolated before or during pulmonary tuberculosis treatment in Belgian laboratories. METHODS: We conducted a nationwide retrospective multicenter cohort study on the co-isolation of TB and NTM in Belgium. Starting from laboratory data between 2006 and 2013, possible TB-NTM co-isolations were searched for. RESULTS: A total of 2569 unique culture-positive pulmonary tuberculosis cases were included in the study. Only 35 (1.4%) of these TB cases had an NTM co-isolated, and two of these 35 fulfilled the ATS criteria for NTM lung disease. CONCLUSION: A very low prevalence of 1.4% NTM co-isolations was found in Belgian patients with culture-proven pulmonary TB.