Co-infection of long-standing extensively drug-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis (XDR-TB) and non-tuberculosis mycobacteria: A case report

Abstract

We report a 69-years-old Iranian HIV negative male patient, with long-standing pulmonary tuberculosis (eleven years) co-infected with non-tuberculosis mycobacteria. Despite of initiation of first line anti-tuberculosis therapy after diagnosis the patient poorly respond because of low compliance with anti-TB treatment. After several incomplete treatments the smear was still positive and thus drug susceptibility tests were performed on isolated organism which revealed that the organisms was resistant not only against isoniazid and rifampin but also against Ofloxacin (OFX), Capreomycin (CAP), p-aminosalicylic acid (PAS), ethionamide (ETH), Kanamycin (KAN), ciprofloxacin (Cip), amikacin (AMK) and cycloserine (CYC). Persistence and resistance of infection had led us to do more investigation using molecular methods, which revealed co-infection with Non-tuberculosis mycobacteria (NTM). The patient is still alive with cough and shortness of breath.

Keywords: Mycobacterium tuberculosis; NTM; XDR-TB.

Fig. 1

Chest radiography showing bilateral infiltration in upper lobes.