Nontuberculous mycobacteria and Mycobacterium bovis as a cause of human disease in Argentina.

Fifteen laboratories from six regions of the country participated in the present trial covering the three years period 1982-84 during which they obtained 13544 mycobacterial cultures from 7672 patients. Of the total isolates, 437 (3.22%) were nontuberculous mycobacteria and 49 (0.36%) Mycobacterium bovis. The remaining cultures were identified as M. tuberculosis, which was the infectious agent in 7609 cases (99.17%). A further 36 cases (0.47%) were due to M. bovis and the remaining 27 to nontuberculous mycobacteria (0.35%). This last group included 26 cases due to M. avium - intracellulare - scrofulaceum complex (MAIS) and one due to M. chelonae. All these were cases in adults with pulmonary lesions except for a lymphadenitis diagnosed in a child. According to these results, the frequency of bovine tuberculosis is low in Argentina. Most of these cases were found in rural and slaughterhouse workers. Non tuberculous mycobacterioses are also of low frequency in the country.