Nontuberculous mycobacteria in patients registered in a tuberculosis control program in Southwestern Colombia, 2014-2017

Authors

  • Luis Eduardo Delgado Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Icesi, Cali, Colombia
  • Daniela Rocío Escobar Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Icesi, Cali, Colombia
  • Diana Marcela Hoyos Secretaría Departamental de Salud Pública, Valle del Cauca, Colombia
  • Lucy Luna Secretaria de Salud Pública Municipal de Cali
  • Robinson Pacheco López Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Icesi, Cali, Colombia
  • Beatriz E. Ferro Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Icesi, Cali, Colombia https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6045-1610

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18041/2665-427X/ijeph.1.5449

Keywords:

Nontuberculous mycobacteria, pulmonary disease, Mycobacterium spp, tuberculosis treatment

Abstract

Introduction: Pulmonary disease produced by nontuberculous mycobacteria and pulmonary tuberculosis can share clinical signs and symptoms. It is important to discern one from the other in order to provide the proper treatment and programmatic management.

Objective: To describe the frequency of nontuberculous mycobacteria isolated from patients registered in the tuberculosis control program in Cali.

Methods: We conducted a descriptive study to know what extent of the pulmonary tuberculosis load in Cali-Colombia corresponds to nontuberculous mycobacteria, in a four-year period, 2014-2017. Demographic (sex, age, health insurance), clinical (diagnosis dates, laboratory data, comorbidities) and programmatic data (tuberculosis treatment initiation and duration) was collected for statistical analysis.

Results: Of 3,651 patients registered in the local tuberculosis program with an initial diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis, 2,904 had sputum culture and among them 1.5% (43/2904) had nontuberculous mycobacteria isolation rather than Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Most of the nontuberculous mycobacteria isolates were not identified at the species level; M. fortuitum and M. abscessus were the most common species identified. 86% of patients initiated unnecessary tuberculosis treatment.

Conclusion: Nontuberculous mycobacteria isolation from pulmonary samples could be frequent in patients registered in the tuberculosis program in Cali, Colombia. The lack of clinical suspicion, the limited laboratory infrastructure, and the absence of a reporting system could be contributing factors to underestimate the importance of nontuberculous mycobacteria in this setting. We recommend that nontuberculous mycobacteria identification should be considered for public health intervention.

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References

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Published

2020-03-10 — Updated on 2021-06-23

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How to Cite

Nontuberculous mycobacteria in patients registered in a tuberculosis control program in Southwestern Colombia, 2014-2017. (2021). Interdisciplinary Journal of Epidemiology and Public Health, 2(1), e-017. https://doi.org/10.18041/2665-427X/ijeph.1.5449 (Original work published 2020)

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