Publications

respiratory infections in patients with cystic fibrosis undergoing lung transplantation.	cystic fibrosis is an inherited disease characterised by chronic respiratory infections associated with bronchiectasis. lung transplantation has helped to extend the lives of patients with cystic fibrosis who have advanced lung disease. however, persistent, recurrent, and newly acquired infections can be problematic. classic cystic fibrosis-associated organisms, such as staphylococcus aureus and pseudomonas aeruginosa, are generally manageable post-transplantation, and are associated with favour ...	2014	24461904
the significance of mycobacterium abscessus subspecies abscessus isolation during mycobacterium avium complex lung disease therapy.	isolation of mycobacterium abscessus subspecies abscessus (maa) is common during mycobacterium avium complex (mac) lung disease therapy, but there is limited information about the clinical significance of the maa isolates.	2014	25357074
genome analysis reveals three genomospecies in mycobacterium abscessus.	mycobacterium abscessus complex, the third most frequent mycobacterial complex responsible for community- and health care-associated infections in developed countries, comprises of m. abscessus subsp. abscessus and m. abscessus subsp. bolletii reviously referred as mycobacterium bolletii and mycobacterium massiliense. the diversity of this group of opportunistic pathogens is poorly described.	2014	24886480
inhaled amikacin for treatment of refractory pulmonary nontuberculous mycobacterial disease.	treatment of pulmonary nontuberculous mycobacteria, especially mycobacterium abscessus, requires prolonged, multidrug regimens with high toxicity and suboptimal efficacy. options for refractory disease are limited.	2014	24460437
mycobacterium abscessus phospholipase c expression is induced during coculture within amoebae and enhances m. abscessus virulence in mice.	mycobacterium abscessus is a pathogenic, rapidly growing mycobacterium involved in pulmonary and cutaneo-mucous infections worldwide, to which cystic fibrosis patients are exquisitely susceptible. the analysis of the genome sequence of m. abscessus showed that this bacterium is endowed with the metabolic pathways typically found in environmental microorganisms that come into contact with soil, plants, and aquatic environments, where free-living amoebae are frequently present. m. abscessus also c ...	2014	25486995
lack of antimicrobial bactericidal activity in mycobacterium abscessus.	antibiotic therapy of infections caused by the emerging pathogen mycobacterium abscessus is challenging due to the organism's natural resistance toward most clinically available antimicrobials. we investigated the bactericidal activity of antibiotics commonly administered in m. abscessus infections in order to better understand the poor therapeutic outcome. time-kill curves were generated for clinical m. abscessus isolates, mycobacterium smegmatis, and escherichia coli by using antibiotics commo ...	2014	24752273
characterization of broad-spectrum mycobacterium abscessus class a β-lactamase.	imipenem and cefoxitin are used to treat mycobacterium abscessus infections and have moderate activity against this fast-growing mycobacterium (mic₅₀ of 16 and 32 mg/l, respectively). m. abscessus is highly resistant to most other β-lactams, although the underlying mechanisms have not been explored. here, we characterized m. abscessus class a β-lactamase (bla(mab)) and investigated its role in β-lactam resistance.	2014	24132992
mycobacterium abscessus subsp abscessus lung disease: 'trouble ahead, trouble behind…'.	mycobacterium abscessus subsp abscessus is the most common respiratory pathogen among the rapidly growing non-tuberculous mycobacteria (ntm) and is also the most feared due to its well-deserved reputation for being refractory to antibiotic therapy. m. abscessus subsp abscessus has multiple innate antibiotic resistance mechanisms, but the most important one described so far is an inducible erythromycin methylase (erm) gene. m. abscessus subsp abscessus isolates may appear macrolide susceptible on ...	2014	25580261
complete genome sequence and comparative genomic analysis of mycobacterium massiliense jcm 15300 in the mycobacterium abscessus group reveal a conserved genomic island mmgi-1 related to putative lipid metabolism.	mycobacterium abscessus group subsp., such as m. massiliense, m. abscessus sensu stricto and m. bolletii, are an environmental organism found in soil, water and other ecological niches, and have been isolated from respiratory tract infection, skin and soft tissue infection, postoperative infection of cosmetic surgery. to determine the unique genetic feature of m. massiliense, we sequenced the complete genome of m. massiliense type strain jcm 15300 (corresponding to ccug 48898). comparative genom ...	2014	25503461
drug susceptibility testing of nontuberculous mycobacteria.	diseases caused by nontuberculous mycobacteria are emerging in many settings. with an increased number of patients needing treatment, the role of drug susceptibility testing is again in the spotlight. this articles covers the history and methodology of drug susceptibility tests for nontuberculous mycobacteria, but focuses on the correlations between in vitro drug susceptibility, pharmacokinetics and in vivo outcomes of treatment. among slow-growing nontuberculous mycobacteria, clear correlations ...	2014	25340838
[mycobacterial lung disease in patients with cystic fibrosis--report of three cases].	mycobacterial lung disease is caused by nontuberculous mycobacteria (ntm), also known as atypical mycobacteria. ntm are widely distributed in the environment, particularly in soil and water. although generally of low pathogenicity to humans, ntm can affect patients with underlying chronic lung diseases, such as cystic fibrosis, bronchiectasis, pneumoconiosis, or healed tuberculosis. some patients with cystic fibrosis (cf) have disease progression due to ntm, others can have ntm cultured intermit ...	2014	25339567
management of mycobacterium abscessus post abdominoplasty.	atypical mycobacterium is the source of a recent outbreak of cosmetic surgery infections [1]. such an infection is difficult to eradicate and presents unique challenges in its management after esthetic surgery. delays in appropriate treatment are frequent because of difficulty in diagnosis and unfamiliarity with this type of infection. we present cases of our management of mycobacterial abscessus abdominoplasty infections following cosmetic surgery in the dominican republic. rapid initial recogn ...	2014	25338711
mycobacterium abscessus lung disease in a patient with kartagener syndrome.	primary ciliary dyskinesia (pcd) is characterized by the congenital impairment of mucociliary clearance. when accompanied by situs inversus, chronic sinusitis and bronchiectasis, pcd is known as kartagener syndrome. the main consequence of impaired ciliary function is a reduced mucus clearance from the lungs, and susceptibility to chronic respiratory infections due to opportunistic pathogens, including nontuberculous mycobacteria (ntm). there has been no report of ntm lung disease combined with ...	2014	25309609
importance of reciprocal balance of t cell immunity in mycobacterium abscessus complex lung disease.	little is known about the nature of the host immune response to mycobacterium abscessus complex (mabc) infection. the aim of the present study was to investigate whether alterations in serum immunomolecule levels after treating mabc lung disease patients with antibiotics can reflect the disease-associated characteristics.	2014	25295870
a rare native mitral valve endocarditis successfully treated after surgical correction.	mycobacterium abscessus and kocuria species are rare causes of infections in humans. endocarditis by these agents has been reported in only 11 cases. m. abscessus is a particularly resistant organism and treatment requires the association of antibiotics for a prolonged period of time. we report a case of native mitral valve bacterial endocarditis due to m. abscessus and kocuria species in a 48-year-old man with a history of intravenous drug use. the case was complicated by a perforation of the p ...	2014	25270154
mycobacterium abscessus: challenges in diagnosis and treatment.	mycobacterium abscessus is the most common rapidly growing mycobacterium that causes lung disease. this review describes recently published literature regarding m. abscessus taxonomy, environmental niche, diagnosis, management and outcome in pulmonary disease in adults and adolescents with cystic fibrosis.	2014	25268925
delivery of aerosolized liposomal amikacin as a novel approach for the treatment of nontuberculous mycobacteria in an experimental model of pulmonary infection.	pulmonary infections caused by nontuberculous mycobacteria (ntm) are an increasing problem in individuals with chronic lung conditions and current therapies are lacking. we investigated the activity of liposomal amikacin for inhalation (lai) against ntm in vitro as well as in a murine model of respiratory infection. macrophage monolayers were infected with three strains of mycobacterium avium, two strains of mycobacterium abscessus, and exposed to lai or free amikacin for 4 days before enumerati ...	2014	25264757
[the analysis of species identification and susceptibility testing of mycobacterium abscessus].	to evaluate the method of differentiating mycobacterium abscessus subsp. abscessus (subsp. m. abscessus) from mycobacterium abscessus subsp. massiliense (subsp. m. massiliense), and to investigate the activity of different antibiotics in vitro.	2014	25262693
[subspecies identification for mycobacterium abscessus group].	to identify the subspecies of mycobacterium abscessus (m.abscessus) group.	2014	25262692
[lipotourism, not without risks: a complication of cosmetic surgery abroad].	postoperative infections with non-tuberculous mycobacteria (ntm) are rare. early diagnosis is important so tailored antibiotic therapy can be started. this can prevent unnecessary radiological and surgical interventions.	2014	25248735
gradenigo syndrome caused by nontuberculous mycobacteria.	gradenigo syndrome is a rare but devastating complication of otitis media that involves the petrous apex. clinically, it is characterized by the triad of suppurative otitis media, deep facial pain, and abducens palsy. most of the gradenigo syndrome cases that have been reported in the literature were caused by pyogenic bacteria. in this report, we describe the clinical courses of 4 adults with gradenigo syndrome who were encountered consecutively at a tertiary referral hospital between 2008 and ...	2014	25247278
a shorter treatment duration may be sufficient for patients with mycobacterium massiliense lung disease than with mycobacterium abscessus lung disease.	mycobacterium abscessus complex is the second most common organism isolated from patients with nontuberculous mycobacterial (ntm) lung disease in south korea. this study aimed to compare clinical features and treatment outcomes of m. abscessus and mycobacterium massiliense lung disease.	2014	25245792
pulmonary non-tuberculous mycobacteria in a general respiratory population.	the prevalence of non-tuberculous mycobacterium (ntm) appears to be increasing. much of the experience in the literature about this emerging organism comes from specialised units or populations such as cystic fibrosis patients. we, therefore, aim to evaluate the experience in a general respiratory population of dealing with patients with positive culture of ntm. we did a retrospective review of medical notes of general respiratory patients from whom ntm were isolated from january 2007 to july 20 ...	2014	25226715
mycobacteriophage-drived diversification of mycobacterium abscessus.	mycobacterium abscessus is an emerging opportunistic pathogen which diversity was acknowledged by the recent description of two subspecies accommodating m. abscessus, mycobacterium bolletii and mycobacterium massiliense isolates.	2014	25224692
advances in the management of pulmonary disease due to mycobacterium abscessus complex.	mycobacterium abscessus complex is a group of rapidly growing mycobacteria, and an emerging cause of non-tuberculous mycobacterial lung disease in patients with cystic fibrosis and chronic lung diseases, such as bronchiectasis. m. abscessus complex is the most drug-resistant of the mycobacterial pathogens, resulting in limited therapeutic options and a high treatment failure rate. m. abscessus complex is comprised of three closely related subspecies: m. abscessus (sensu stricto), m. massiliense ...	2014	25216826
in vitro evaluation of a new drug combination against clinical isolates belonging to the mycobacterium abscessus complex.	the in vitro susceptibility profile to amikacin, linezolid, clarithromycin, imipenem, cefoxitin, clofazimine and tigecycline was established for 67 strains belonging to the mycobacterium abscessus complex. clofazimine and tigecycline were among the most effective drugs, prompting us to assess the effect of a clofazimine and tigecycline combination. synergistic activity was found in 42% of the 19 isolates tested. the clinical impact of this new drug combination against the m. abscessus complex, a ...	2014	25185732
a surface with a biomimetic micropattern reduces colonization of mycobacterium abscessus.	nontuberculous mycobacteria (ntm) are ubiquitous organisms found in soil, water, and biofilms. engineered surface topography has been proposed as a method to reduce microbial biofilm formation. the sharklet(®) micropattern silicone surface has been shown to reduce biofilm formation of pyogenic bacteria. we hypothesized that this micropattern surface will also reduce colonization by mycobacterium abscessus, a human pathogen. smooth and micropattern silicone samples were incubated with 1 × 10(6) m ...	2014	25155501
infections caused by non-tuberculous mycobacteria in recipients of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.	non-tuberculous mycobacteria (ntm) are acid-fast bacteria that are ubiquitous in the environment and can colonize soil, dust particles, water sources, and food supplies. they are divided into rapidly growing mycobacteria such as mycobacterium fortuitum, mycobacterium chelonae, and mycobacterium abscessus as well as slowly growing species such as mycobacterium avium, mycobacterium kansasii, and mycobacterium marinum. about 160 different species, which can cause community acquired and health care- ...	2014	25426446
[identification of mycobacterium spp. isolates using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-time-of-flight mass spectrometry (maldi-tof ms)].	matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-time-of-flight mass spectrometry (maldi-tof ms) has recently been widely used in diagnostic microbiological laboratories. it is a cheap and rapid method for the identification of bacteria and micromycetes. apart from this purpose, it is also used for the detection of antibiotic resistance mechanisms. it has the potential to be extended for other purposes in microbiology. the aim of this study was to validate maldi-tof ms for the identification of mycob ...	2014	25412483
fourth death caused by mycobacterium abscessus reported at south carolina hospital.		2014	25383413
structural and functional characterization of an arylamine n-acetyltransferase from the pathogen mycobacterium abscessus: differences from other mycobacterial isoforms and implications for selective inhibition.	mycobacterium abscessus is the most pathogenic rapid-growing mycobacterium and is one of the most resistant organisms to chemotherapeutic agents. however, structural and functional studies of m. abscessus proteins that could modify/inactivate antibiotics remain nonexistent. here, the structural and functional characterization of an arylamine n-acetyltransferase (nat) from m. abscessus [(mycab)nat1] are reported. this novel prokaryotic nat displays significant n-acetyltransferase activity towards ...	2014	25372695
respiratory review of 2014: tuberculosis and nontuberculous mycobacterial pulmonary disease.	since tuberculosis (tb) remains a major global health concern and the incidence of multi-drug resistant (mdr)-tb is increasing globally, new modalities for the detection of tb and drug resistant tb are needed to improve tb control. the xpert mtb/rif test can be a valuable new tool for early detection of tb and rifampicin resistance, with a high sensitivity and specificity. late-generation fluoroquinolones, levofloxacin, and moxifloxacin, which are the principal drugs for the treatment of mdr-tb, ...	2014	25368661
mycobacterium abscessus: a rare cause of vascular graft infection.	prosthetic vascular graft infection (pvgi) following vascular reconstructive surgery is an uncommon but serious complication and is associated with high morbidity as well as mortality rate. staphylococcal species are the most common organisms causing pvgi. mycobacterium abscessus is a very rare cause of pvgi and poses a significant diagnostic and management dilemma. to the best of our knowledge, we report the third documented case of m. abscessus vascular graft infection that was diagnosed with ...	2014	25134652
vertebral osteomyelitis caused by mycobacterium abscessus surgically treated using antibacterial iodine-supported instrumentation.	mycobacterium abscessus infections rarely develop in healthy individuals, and mostly they occur in immunocompromised hosts. vertebral osteomyelitis due to mycobacterium abscessus is very rare and only three previous cases of spinal infection caused by mycobacterium abscessus have been reported. mycobacterium abscessus isolates are uniformly resistant to antituberculous agents and can display a virulent biofilm-forming phenotype. the patient was a 67-year-old woman with vertebral osteomyelitis of ...	2014	25544922
prevalence and drug resistance of mycobacteria in turkish cystic fibrosis patients.	isolation of mycobacteria in cystic fibrosis (cf) patients is increasingly being reported. because of having long term antimicrobial treatment, cf patients are at risk of pulmonary infection with especially resistant nontuberculous mycobacteria (ntm) strains. the aim of the present study is to determine the prevalence of mycobacterium spp. and antimicrobial susceptibility in turkish cf patients.	2014	25123237
mycobacteria entry and trafficking into endothelial cells.	endothelial cells are susceptible to infection by mycobacteria, but the endocytic mechanisms that mycobacteria exploit to enter host cells and their mechanisms of intracellular transport are completely unknown. using pharmacological inhibitors, we determined that the internalization of mycobacterium tuberculosis (mtb), mycobacterium smegmatis (msm), and mycobacterium abscessus (mab) is dependent on the cytoskeleton and is differentially inhibited by cytochalasin d, nocodazole, cycloheximide, wor ...	2014	25113069
mycobacterium abscessus infection in cystic fibrosis: molecular typing and clinical outcomes.	mycobacterium abscessus is a significant pathogen in the cystic fibrosis patient population. pcr amplification and sequencing can provide accurate subspecies identification, and can predict macrolide susceptibility, which is becoming increasingly important for patient management. molecular techniques for further typing of isolates provide tools for the ongoing investigations into the clinical impact of particular m. abscessus strains. whole-genome sequencing is likely to be the only technique th ...	2014	25106861
analysis of a panel of rapidly growing mycobacteria for resistance to aldehyde-based disinfectants.	after several accounts across the globe of mycobacteria outbreaks associated with medical procedures and aldehyde disinfectants resistance, we undertook an analysis of mycobacteria isolated from patients seen in a hospital in the united states between 1994 and 2008 to determine prevalence of resistance to aldehyde-based disinfectants. out of the 117 clinical isolates screened, 6 isolates belonging to the emerging mycobacterium abscessus group were found to display significant levels of resistanc ...	2014	25087149
multilocus sequence typing scheme versus pulsed-field gel electrophoresis for typing mycobacterium abscessus isolates.	outbreaks of infections by rapidly growing mycobacteria following invasive procedures, such as ophthalmological, laparoscopic, arthroscopic, plastic, and cardiac surgeries, mesotherapy, and vaccination, have been detected in brazil since 1998. members of the mycobacterium chelonae-mycobacterium abscessus group have caused most of these outbreaks. as part of an epidemiological investigation, the isolates were typed by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (pfge). in this project, we performed a large- ...	2014	24899019
soft tissue infection caused by rapid growing mycobacterium following medical procedures: two case reports and literature review.	non-tubecrulosis mycobacterium infections were increasingly reported either pulmonary or extrapulmonary in the past decades. in taiwan, we noticed several reports about the soft tissue infections caused by rapid growing mycobacterium such as mycobacterium abscessus, mycobacterium chelonae, on newspaper, magazines, or the multimedia. most of them occurred after a plastic surgery, and medical or non-medical procedures. here, we reported two cases of these infections following medical procedures. w ...	2014	24882980
identification of mycobacterium species following growth detection with the bactec mgit 960 system by dna line probe assay.	the tuberculosis and infections caused by nontuberculous mycobacterial (ntm) species are increasing in patients presented with respiratory illness, and it is crucial to document the epidemiology of these infections.	2014	26786328
presentation of mycobacterium abscessus infection following rhytidectomy to a uk plastic surgery unit.	we report the presentation of a patient to a uk plastic surgery unit with mycobacterium abscessus infection following a facelift surgery in southern india. treatment was protracted requiring surgical debridement and 6 months of antibiotics including a 3-week hospital admission for intravenous antibiotic therapy. we describe the clinical presentation, diagnosis and treatment of this unusual microorganism with reference to more familiar pyogenic infections.	2014	24872486
recurrent nontuberculous mycobacterial endophthalmitis: a diagnostic conundrum.	to report a case of recurrent nontuberculous mycobacterial endophthalmitis in the context of neurotrophic keratopathy secondary to herpes zoster ophthalmicus that had an atypical presentation and complex course, and highlights the challenges of causative organism identification and therapeutic interventions in this condition.	2014	24833891
highlights of the north american cf conference 2013.	this is a personal selection of papers that were presented at the 27th north american cystic fibrosis conference held in salt lake city in october 2013. the papers discussed in this review are thought to be of particular interest to cf caregivers in the uk.	2014	24821547
rapid identification of strains belonging to the mycobacterium abscessus group through erm(41) gene pyrosequencing.	mycobacterium abscessus and mycobacterium massiliense lung infections have different clarithromycin susceptibilities, making proper identification important; however, standard multi-gene sequencing in clinical laboratories is laborious and time consuming. we developed a pyrosequencing-based method for rapid identification of strains belonging to the m. abscessus group by targeting erm(41). we examined 55 isolates from new pulmonary m. abscessus infections and identified 28 m. abscessus, 25 m. ma ...	2014	24809859
in vivo assessment of drug efficacy against mycobacterium abscessus using the embryonic zebrafish test system.	mycobacterium abscessus is responsible for a wide spectrum of clinical syndromes and is one of the most intrinsically drug-resistant mycobacterial species. recent evaluation of the in vivo therapeutic efficacy of the few potentially active antibiotics against m. abscessus was essentially performed using immunocompromised mice. herein, we assessed the feasibility and sensitivity of fluorescence imaging for monitoring the in vivo activity of drugs against acute m. abscessus infection using zebrafi ...	2014	24798271
[case report; disseminated mycobacterium abscessus infection with hemophagocytic syndrome during treatment of chronic lymphocytic leukemia].		2014	24796145
mycobacterium abscessus hand-and-foot disease in children: rare or emerging disease?	mycobacterium abscessus is emerging as an important cause of cutaneous infections in sporadic cases and outbreak settings. although immunosuppressed or elderly patients are most commonly affected, in 2006 an outbreak of clinically distinct cutaneous lesions on the hands and feet caused by m. abscessus in a population of healthy children using a public swimming pool was reported. this article describes an outbreak of skin infection in a population of healthy italian children attending the same sc ...	2014	24758202
surgical treatment of nontuberculous mycobacterial lung disease.	while the prevalence of pulmonary tuberculosis has been decreasing, the prevalence of nontuberculous mycobacterial lung disease has been increasing. unlike tuberculosis, nontuberculous mycobacterial disease is not communicable. however, their indolent nature may result in extensive parenchymal destruction, causing respiratory failure and vulnerability to airway infection. nontuberculous mycobacterial lung disease, therefore, has been becoming a significant health problem. according to the 2007 a ...	2014	24740640
gene replacement in mycobacterium chelonae: application to the construction of porin knock-out mutants.	mycobacterium chelonae is a rapidly growing mycobacterial opportunistic pathogen closely related to mycobacterium abscessus that causes cornea, skin and soft tissue infections in humans. although m. chelonae and the emerging mycobacterial pathogen m. abscessus have long been considered to belong to the same species, these two microorganisms considerably differ in terms of optimum growth temperature, drug susceptibility, pathogenicity and the types of infection they cause. the whole genome sequen ...	2014	24739882
cefoxitin continuous infusion for lung infection caused by the mycobacterium abscessus group.		2014	24733469
mycobacterium tuberculosis pili (mtp), a putative biomarker for a tuberculosis diagnostic test.	novel biomarkers are urgently needed for point of care tb diagnostics. in this study, we investigated the potential of the pilin subunit protein encoded by the mtp gene as a diagnostic biomarker. blast analysis of the mtp gene on published genome databases, and amplicon sequencing were performed in mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (mtbc) strains and other organisms. the protein secondary structure of the amino acid sequences of non-tuberculous mycobacteria that partially aligned with the mtp s ...	2014	24721207
clonal relationship and differentiation among mycobacterium abscessus isolates as determined using the semiautomated repetitive extragenic palindromic sequence pcr-based diversilab system.	mycobacterium abscessus is a rapidly growing mycobacterium that causes respiratory tract infections in predisposed patients, such as those with cystic fibrosis and nosocomial skin and soft tissue infections. in order to investigate the clonal relationships between the strains causing epidemic episodes, we evaluated the discriminatory power of the semiautomated diversilab (dl) repetitive extragenic palindromic sequence pcr (rep-pcr) test for m. abscessus genotyping. since m. abscessus was shown t ...	2014	24671795
mycobacterium abscessus mab2560 induces maturation of dendritic cells via toll-like receptor 4 and drives th1 immune response.	in this study, we showed that mycobacterium abscessus mab2560 induces the maturation of dendritic cells (dcs), which are representative antigen-presenting cells (apcs). m. abscessus mab2560 stimulate the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines [interleukin (il)-6, tumor necrosis factor (tnf)-α, il-1β, and il-12p70] and reduce the endocytic capacity and maturation of dcs. using tlr4-/- dcs, we found that mab2560 mediated dc maturation via toll-like receptor 4 (tlr4). mab2560 also activated the m ...	2014	24667171
genome sequencing of mycobacterium abscessus isolates from patients in the united states and comparisons to globally diverse clinical strains.	nontuberculous mycobacterial infections caused by mycobacterium abscessus are responsible for a range of disease manifestations from pulmonary to skin infections and are notoriously difficult to treat, due to innate resistance to many antibiotics. previous population studies of clinical m. abscessus isolates utilized multilocus sequence typing or pulsed-field gel electrophoresis, but high-resolution examinations of genetic diversity at the whole-genome level have not been well characterized, par ...	2014	25056330
looking in amoebae as a source of mycobacteria.	mycobacteria exhibit various relationships with amoebae, ranging from the killing of one partner by the other one, to amoebae hosting mycobacteria in trophozoites and cysts. this observation indicates that poorly described biological factors affect the relationships, including mycobacterial cell-wall glycolipids and the size of the mycobacteria. experimental observations indicate that a majority of environmental, opportunistic mycobacteria but also obligate pathogens including mycobacterium tube ...	2014	25017516
classification algorithm for subspecies identification within the mycobacterium abscessus species, based on matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry.	mycobacterium abscessus, as a species, has been increasingly implicated in respiratory infections, notably in cystic fibrosis patients. the species comprises 3 subspecies, which can be difficult to identify. since they differ in antibiotic susceptibility and clinical relevance, developing a routine diagnostic tool discriminating mycobacterium abscessus at the subspecies level is a real challenge. forty-three mycobacterium abscessus species isolates, previously identified by multilocus sequence t ...	2014	25009048
direct identification of mycobacterium abscessus through 16s rdna sequence analysis and a citrate utilization test: a case report.	a growing number of nontuberculous mycobacteria infection cases, especially those caused by rapidly growing mycobacteria (rgm), have been reported in the past decade. conventional methods for mycobacteria diagnosis are inefficient and easily lead to misdiagnosis. new detection methods, such as gene sequencing, have been reported but are not widely used. the aim of the present case report was to provide a quick and exact method of identifying myobacterium abscessus (m. abscessus) infections. the ...	2014	24944608
analysis of species and intra-species associations between the mycobacterium abscessus complex strains using pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (pfge) and multi-locus sequence typing (mlst).	pfge and mlst showed that the strains of m. massiliense hsp65 ii-1 were clearly separated from the strains of m. massiliense hsp65 i or ii-2 as well as the strains of m. abscessus or m. bolletii; thus, m. massiliense hsp6 5ii-1 might represent an additional subspecies of m. massiliense.	2014	24918987
sacroiliitis secondary to catheter-related bacteremia due to mycobacterium abscessus (sensu stricto).	we describe a case of sacroiliitis secondary to catheter-related bacteremia due to mycobacterium abscessus (sensu stricto). this case confirms that multilocus sequence typing and variable-number tandem-repeat methods are very robust techniques to identify the pathogen species and to validate molecular epidemiological links among complex m. abscessus isolates.	2014	24479655
managing pulmonary nontuberculous mycobacterial infection. time for a patient-centered approach.	the incidence of nontuberculous mycobacteria is increasing worldwide. however, the evidence base for clinical management comprises mostly expert opinion, case series, and few randomized clinical trials. most currently recommended treatment regimens entail prolonged use of multiple antimicrobial agents associated with multiple self-limited and persistent potential adverse effects, including irreversible impairments of hearing, vision, and kidney function. yet, little is known about how treatment ...	2014	24460445
the cystic fibrosis lung microbiome.	the chronic colonization of the lower airways by bacterial pathogens is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in patients with cystic fibrosis (cf). pseudomonas aeruginosa is the most common cf pathogen, followed by staphylococcus aureus. improvements in airway clearance and more effective treatment of the conventional cf pathogens has led to the emergence of new airway pathogens such as stenotrophomonas maltophilia, mycobacterium abscessus, and achromobacter. more recently, it has become ...	2014	24437409
detection and assessment of clarithromycin inducible resistant strains among korean mycobacterium abscessus clinical strains: pcr methods.	mycobacterium abscessus group belongs to a group of rapidly growing mycobacteria (rgm) and, following mycobacterium avium complex, is the second most common pathogen responsible for lung disease caused by nontuberculous mycobacteria (ntm). clarithromycin is known to be the key drug in the treatment of m. abscessus group disease, but a high failure rate of treatment response is reported due to clarithromycin inducible resistance.	2014	24652818
clinical experience in 52 patients with tigecycline-containing regimens for salvage treatment of mycobacterium abscessus and mycobacterium chelonae infections.	we report the largest clinical experience using tigecycline-containing regimens for salvage treatment of patients with mycobacterium abscessus and mycobacterium chelonae.	2014	24633206
a case of mycobacterium abscessus infection presenting as a cystic lesion in an insulin injection site in a diabetic patient.		2014	24628302
notes from the field: rapidly growing nontuberculous mycobacterium wound infections among medical tourists undergoing cosmetic surgeries in the dominican republic--multiple states, march 2013-february 2014.	in august 2013, the maryland department of health and mental hygiene (mdhmh) was notified of two persons with rapidly growing nontuberculous mycobacterial (rg-ntm) surgical-site infections. both patients had undergone surgical procedures as medical tourists at the same private surgical clinic (clinic a) in the dominican republic the previous month. within 7 days of returning to the united states, both sought care for symptoms that included surgical wound abscesses, clear fluid drainage, pain, an ...	2014	24598597
acetic acid, the active component of vinegar, is an effective tuberculocidal disinfectant.	effective and economical mycobactericidal disinfectants are needed to kill both mycobacterium tuberculosis and non-m. tuberculosis mycobacteria. we found that acetic acid (vinegar) efficiently kills m. tuberculosis after 30 min of exposure to a 6% acetic acid solution. the activity is not due to ph alone, and propionic acid also appears to be bactericidal. m. bolletii and m. massiliense nontuberculous mycobacteria were more resistant, although a 30-min exposure to 10% acetic acid resulted in at ...	2014	24570366
mycobacterium abscessus cording prevents phagocytosis and promotes abscess formation.	mycobacterium abscessus is a rapidly growing mycobacterium causing a wide spectrum of clinical syndromes. it now is recognized as a pulmonary pathogen to which cystic fibrosis patients have a particular susceptibility. the m. abscessus rough (r) variant, devoid of cell-surface glycopeptidolipids (gpls), causes more severe clinical disease than the smooth (s) variant, but the underlying mechanisms of r-variant virulence remain obscure. exploiting the optical transparency of zebrafish embryos, we ...	2014	24567393
high-level relatedness among mycobacterium abscessus subsp. massiliense strains from widely separated outbreaks.	three recently sequenced strains isolated from patients during an outbreak of mycobacterium abscessus subsp. massiliense infections at a cystic fibrosis center in the united states were compared with 6 strains from an outbreak at a cystic fibrosis center in the united kingdom and worldwide strains. strains from the 2 cystic fibrosis outbreaks showed high-level relatedness with each other and major-level relatedness with strains that caused soft tissue infections during an epidemic in brazil. we ...	2014	24565502
rapid molecular detection of inducible macrolide resistance in mycobacterium chelonae and m. abscessus strains: a replacement for 14-day susceptibility testing?	the erm(41) gene causes inducible macrolide resistance in mycobacterium abscessus but not mycobacterium chelonae. erm(41) sequencing of 285 m. abscessus and 45 m. chelonae isolates was compared to 14-day susceptibility; agreement percentages were 98.9% and 100%, respectively. extended incubation may not be necessary for m. chelonae, and the erm(41) genotype is a useful adjunct for m. abscessus.	2014	24554745
novel drug combination for mycobacterium abscessus disease therapy identified in a drosophila infection model.	mycobacterium abscessus is known to be the most drug-resistant mycobacterium and accounts for ∼80% of pulmonary infections caused by rapidly growing mycobacteria. this study reports a new drosophila melanogaster-m. abscessus infection model that can be used as an in vivo efficacy model for anti-m. abscessus drug potency assessment.	2014	24519481
the clinical management of cesarean section-acquired mycobacterium abscessus surgical site infections.	rapidly growing mycobacteria (rgm) can cause a broad spectrum of both community and healthcare-associated infections in humans. the aim of this study was to report the clinical management and outcomes of successive patients following cesarean delivery with healthcare-associated surgical site infections (ssis) caused by rgm.	2014	24518628
genomic reconnaissance of clinical isolates of emerging human pathogen mycobacterium abscessus reveals high evolutionary potential.	mycobacterium abscessus (ma) is an emerging human pathogen that causes both soft tissue infections and systemic disease. we present the first comparative whole-genome study of ma strains isolated from patients of wide geographical origin. we found a high proportion of accessory strain-specific genes indicating an open, non-conservative pan-genome structure, and clear evidence of rapid phage-mediated evolution. although we found fewer virulence factors in ma compared to m. tuberculosis, our data ...	2014	24515248
erm(41)-dependent inducible resistance to azithromycin and clarithromycin in clinical isolates of mycobacterium abscessus.	the ribosomal methylase erm(41) confers inducible resistance to macrolides in mycobacterium abscessus. the aim of this work was to systematically study and compare drug susceptibility to clarithromycin and azithromycin in m. abscessus and mycobacterium chelonae clinical isolates with a particular focus on inducible drug resistance.	2014	24500188
nontuberculous mycobacterial (ntm) lung disease: the top ten essentials.	this review will utilize essential questions about nontuberculous mycobacterial (ntm) lung disease to succinctly address important new developments in the pathogenesis, diagnosis and management of ntm lung disease with a focus on practical information and "bottom line" answers. 1) what do i tell my patients who ask, “where did i get this infection” and, “should i take showers”? 2) what is the connection between bronchiectasis and the acquisition of ntm lung infection? 3) what other factors are i ...	2014	24484653
multilocus sequence typing scheme for the mycobacterium abscessus complex.	we developed a multilocus sequence typing (mlst) scheme for mycobacterium abscessus sensu lato, based on the partial sequencing of seven housekeeping genes: argh, cya, glpk, gnd, murc, pta and purh. this scheme was used to characterize a collection of 227 isolates recovered between 1994 and 2010 in france, germany, switzerland and brazil. we identified 100 different sequence types (sts), which were distributed into three groups on the tree obtained by concatenating the sequences of the seven hou ...	2014	24384536
risk factors for nontuberculous mycobacterial infections in solid organ transplant recipients: a case-control study.	the epidemiology of nontuberculous mycobacteria (ntm) disease in solid organ transplant recipients is poorly defined.	2014	24350627
the drug resistance profile of mycobacterium abscessus group strains from korea.	bacteria of the mycobacterium abscessus group are the second most common pathogens responsible for lung disease caused by nontuberculous mycobacteria in korea. there is still a lack of studies investigating the genetic mechanisms involved in m. abscessus resistance to antibiotics other than clarithromycin. this study investigated the characteristics of drug resistance exhibited by m. abscessus clinical isolates from korea.	2014	24422193
bacterial adherence to different meshes used in abdominal surgery.	we studied the influence of morphology and type of material of abdominal wall prostheses in the avoidance of bacterial adhesion in acute and chronic mesh infections.	2014	24283764
sporotrichoid cutaneous infection by mycobacterium abscessus.		2014	24261556
gm-csf knockout mice for preclinical testing of agents with antimicrobial activity against mycobacterium abscessus.	of the non-tuberculous mycobacteria, mycobacterium abscessus is particularly refractory to antimicrobial therapy and new agents with activity against these pathogens are urgently needed. the screening of candidate antimicrobial agents against m. abscessus requires a relevant and reproducible animal model of chronic infection. granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor knockout (gm-csf ko) mice were used to develop a new animal model of chronic pulmonary m. abscessus infection that can be u ...	2014	24222613
characterization of rough and smooth morphotypes of mycobacterium abscessus isolates from clinical specimens.	mycobacterium abscessus, which consists of the two subspecies m. abscessus subspecies abscessus and m. abscessus subspecies bolletii, can produce rough or smooth colony morphologies. here we analyzed 50 m. abscessus isolates cultured from the respiratory specimens of 34 patients, 28 (82%) of whom had cystic fibrosis (cf), with respect to their colony morphologies and antibiotic susceptibilities. the overall proportions of occurrences of the two morphotypes were similar, with specimens from 50% o ...	2014	24197890
discrimination of mycobacterium abscessus subsp. massiliense from mycobacterium abscessus subsp. abscessus in clinical isolates by multiplex pcr.	the rapidly growing mycobacterium m. abscessus sensu lato is the causative agent of emerging pulmonary and skin diseases and of infections following cosmetic surgery and postsurgical procedures. m. abscessus sensu lato can be divided into at least three subspecies: m. abscessus subsp. abscessus, m. abscessus subsp. massiliense, and m. abscessus subsp. bolletii. clinical isolates of rapidly growing mycobacteria were previously identified as m. abscessus by dna-dna hybridization. more than 30% of ...	2014	24197885
in vivo evaluation of antibiotic activity against mycobacterium abscessus.	the prognosis of mycobacterium abscessus infections is poor due to the lack of effective drug treatment. the objective of this study was to set up an animal model suitable to test antibiotic activity against m. abscessus.	2014	24253289
in vitro activity of cefoxitin and imipenem against mycobacterium abscessus complex.	the in vitro activity of cefoxitin and imipenem was compared for 43 strains of the mycobacterium abscessus complex, mostly isolated from cystic fibrosis patients. the mics of imipenem were lower than those of cefoxitin, although the number of imipenem-resistant strains was higher according to the clsi breakpoints. strain comparisons indicated that the mics of cefoxitin were significantly higher for mycobacterium bolletii than for m. abscessus. the mics of both β-lactams were higher for the rough ...	2014	24112243
mixed mycobacterial infection in an adult koi carp cyprinus carpio l.		2014	23937602
outbreaks due to mycobacterium abscessus subsp. bolletii in southern brazil: persistence of a single clone from 2007 to 2011.	outbreaks associated with rapidly growing mycobacteria (rgm) have been increasingly reported worldwide, including in brazil. among the rgm, the mycobacterium abscessus complex is the most pathogenic and related to multidrug resistance. the aim of this study was to evaluate the antimicrobial susceptibility and molecular profile of rgm isolates involved in new postsurgical infection outbreaks in brazil since 2007. of the 109 cases reported in the state of rio grande do sul between 2007 and 2011, 4 ...	2014	25038135
species identification of mycobacterium abscessus subsp. abscessus and mycobacterium abscessus subsp. bolletii using rpob and hsp65, and susceptibility testing to eight antibiotics.	to separate mycobacterium abscessus subsp. bolletii from mycobacterium abscessus subsp. abscessus using species identification, and to investigate the in vitro activity of amikacin, cefoxitin, imipenem, levofloxacin, moxifloxacin, clarithromycin, azithromycin, and linezolid against mycobacterium abscessus.	2014	24932856
multidrug-resistant nontuberculous mycobacteria isolated from cystic fibrosis patients.	worldwide, nontuberculous mycobacteria (ntm) have become emergent pathogens of pulmonary infections in cystic fibrosis (cf) patients, with an estimated prevalence ranging from 5 to 20%. this work investigated the presence of ntm in sputum samples of 129 cf patients (2 to 18 years old) submitted to longitudinal clinical supervision at a regional reference center in rio de janeiro, brazil. from june 2009 to march 2012, 36 ntm isolates recovered from 10 (7.75%) out of 129 children were obtained. mo ...	2014	24920766
bacteraemia caused by mycobacterium abscessus subsp. abscessus and m. abscessus subsp. bolletii: clinical features and susceptibilities of the isolates.	mycobacterium abscessus complex (m. abscessus subsp. abscessus and m. abscessus subsp. bolletii) is an emerging pathogen causing various human infections. however, few studies have focused on m. abscessus complex bacteraemia with detailed species differentiation. the clinical characteristics of patients with bacteraemia due to m. abscessus complex treated at national taiwan university hospital from 2005-2012 were evaluated. species identification was performed by molecular methods, and minimum i ...	2014	24718088
demonstration of plasmid-mediated drug resistance in mycobacterium abscessus.	plasmid-mediated kanamycin resistance was detected in a strain of mycobacterium abscessus subsp. bolletii responsible for a nationwide epidemic of surgical infections in brazil. the plasmid did not influence susceptibility to tobramycin, streptomycin, trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, clarithromycin, or ciprofloxacin. plasmid-mediated drug resistance has not been described so far in mycobacteria.	2014	24574286
the first korean case of nontuberculous mycobacterial lung disease caused by mycobacterium abscessus subspecies bolletii in a patient with bronchiectasis.	we report the first korean case of lung diseases caused by mycobacterium abscessus subsp. bolletii in a previously healthy male, except for a previous history of pulmonary tuberculosis and bronchiectasis. all serial isolates are identified as m. abscessus subsp. bolletii by multi-locus sequence analysis based on the hsp65, rpob, and 16s rrna fragments. at the genetic level, the isolate has the erm(41) gene with a t28 sequevar, associated with clarithromycin resistance, and no rrl mutation. the i ...	2014	24523815
an outbreak of mycobacterium abscessus infection in a pediatric intensive care unit in kuwait.	mycobacterium abscessus has been associated with respiratory tract infections, localized skin and soft tissue infections and sepsis. however, outbreaks of m. abscessus are rare.	2014	24042493
high recurrence rate of lymphadenitis due to nontuberculous mycobacteria and its association with concurrent salmonella infection in taiwan.	the objective of this study is to investigate the clinical characteristics of lymphadenitis due to nontuberculous mycobacteria (ntm) in taiwan.	2014	23615164
mycobacterium abscessus complex lung infection in a toddler with a tracheostomy.	mycobacterium abscessus complex and other non-tuberculous mycobacteria are infrequently encountered respiratory pathogens in patients with tracheostomies. we report a 4-year-old girl with a tracheostomy, placed during infancy for management of severe bronchopulmonary dysplasia and laryngeal stenosis, who developed a m. abscessus complex lung infection. there was clear evidence of parenchymal involvement and true infection beyond colonization. she demonstrated dramatic clinical, laboratory, and r ...	2014	23460506
non-tuberculous mycobacteria: a retrospective review of scottish isolates from 2000 to 2010.	there is growing recognition of the clinical importance of non-tuberculous mycobacteria (ntm), a group of versatile opportunistic bacterial pathogens. we describe the characteristics of ntm isolates in scotland over an 11-year period using data held by the scottish mycobacteria reference laboratory. american thoracic society microbiological criteria were used to evaluate the clinical significance of isolates. data presented include analysis of trends across time, species/body site associations, ...	2014	23986391
antibiotic treatment for nontuberculous mycobacteria lung infection in people with cystic fibrosis.	nontuberculous mycobacteria are mycobacteria, other than those in the mycobacterium tuberculosis complex, and are commonly found in the environment. nontuberculous mycobacteria species (most commonly mycobacterium avium complex and mycobacterium abscessus) are isolated from the respiratory tract of approximately 5% to 20% of individuals with cystic fibrosis; they can cause lung disease in people with cystic fibrosis leading to more a rapid decline in lung function and even death in certain circu ...	2014	25470304
normalization of elevated ca 19-9 level after treatment in a patient with the nodular bronchiectatic form of mycobacterium abscessus lung disease.	carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (ca 19-9) is a widely-used tumor marker in patients with pancreatic cancer. however, some patients with respiratory disease also exhibit elevated serum ca 19-9 levels. we report a case of normalization of elevated serum ca 19-9 levels after treatment of the nodular bronchiectatic form of mycobacterium ab scessus lung disease. a 40-year-old man visited our hospital because of chronic cough and sputum. a computed tomography scan revealed severe bronchiectasis in the right ...	2013	23946755
in vitro activity of amikacin against isolates of mycobacterium avium complex with proposed mic breakpoints and finding of a 16s rrna gene mutation in treated isolates.	amikacin is a major drug used for the treatment of mycobacterium avium complex (mac) disease, but standard laboratory guidelines for susceptibility testing are not available. this study presents in vitro amikacin mics for 462 consecutive clinical isolates of the mac using a broth microdilution assay. approximately 50% of isolates had amikacin mics of 8 μg/ml, and 86% had mics of ≤16 μg/ml. of the eight isolates (1.7%) with mics of 64 μg/ml, five had an mic of 32 μg/ml on repeat testing. ten isol ...	2013	23946523
increased incidence of cutaneous nontuberculous mycobacterial infection, 1980 to 2009: a population-based study.	to determine the incidence and clinical characteristics of cutaneous nontuberculous mycobacterial (ntm) infection during the past 30 years and whether the predominant species have changed.	2013	23218797