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Comparative Study
. 1999 Apr;37(4):1008-12.
doi: 10.1128/JCM.37.4.1008-1012.1999.

Comparison of large restriction fragments of Mycobacterium avium isolates recovered from AIDS and non-AIDS patients with those of isolates from potable water

T Aronson  1 , A Holtzman, N Glover, M Boian, S Froman, O G Berlin, H Hill, G Stelma Jr
Affiliations
Comparative Study

Comparison of large restriction fragments of Mycobacterium avium isolates recovered from AIDS and non-AIDS patients with those of isolates from potable water

T Aronson et al. J Clin Microbiol. 1999 Apr.

Abstract

We examined potable water in Los Angeles, California, as a possible source of infection in AIDS and non-AIDS patients. Nontuberculous mycobacteria were recovered from 12 (92%) of 13 reservoirs, 45 (82%) of 55 homes, 31 (100%) of 31 commercial buildings, and 15 (100%) of 15 hospitals. Large-restriction-fragment (LRF) pattern analyses were done with AseI. The LRF patterns of Mycobacterium avium isolates recovered from potable water in three homes, two commercial buildings, one reservoir, and eight hospitals had varying degrees of relatedness to 19 clinical isolates recovered from 17 patients. The high number of M. avium isolates recovered from hospital water and their close relationship with clinical isolates suggests the potential threat of nosocomial spread. This study supports the possibility that potable water is a source for the acquisition of M. avium infections.

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Figures

FIG. 1
FIG. 1
PFGE of AseI restriction digests of clinical and water isolates of M. avium. The LRF pattern of the M. avium isolate from patient 33 (lane 13) was identical to those of water M. avium isolates from hospitals 4 (lane 2) and 5 (lane 3), closely related to those of isolates from hospitals 6 (lane 4) and 10 (lane 6), and possibly related to those of isolates from hospitals 7 (lane 5) and 14 (lane 7). The (lane 14) isolate from patient 53 was closely related to isolates from hospitals 4 (lane 2) and 5 (lane 3) and was possibly related to isolates from hospital 6 (lane 4). Isolates from patients 25 (lane 10), 29 (lane 11), and 32 (lane 12) were unrelated to all of the water M. avium isolates. Lanes 1, 9, and 15, SmaI restriction digests of S. aureus ATCC 8325 as molecular size markers. The reservoir 13 isolate (lane 8) was unrelated to any clinical isolate on the gel.
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