Non-Tuberculous Mycobacteria Infections based on 16S rRNA detections in patients with Suspected Chronic Tuberculosis at a Tertiary Referral Hospital in Indonesia

This study identified non-tuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) isolates from the clinical respiratory specimen of patients suspected of chronic tuberculosis at a tertiary referral hospital in Indonesia. In this study, 20 clinical non-tuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) isolates were obtained from respiratory samples examined in the tuberculosis section of the Clinical Microbiology laboratory at Dr Soetomo General Hospital. The isolates were identified using TB Ag MPT 64 (SD Bioline) and targeting 16S rRNA genes sequence for analysis at the species level. Data on clinical features were collected and chest radiographs were evaluated. The highest bacterium found in the isolates was Mycobacterium kansasii (12 strains, 60%.), followed by Mycobacterium gordonae (2 strains, 5%), Mycobacterium parascofulaceum (2 strains, 5%), Mycobacterium avium (1 strain, 2.5%), Mycobacterium simiae (1 strain, 2.5%). Mycobacterium abcessus (1 strain, 2.5%), and Mycobacterium paraterrae (1 strain, 2.5%). Males dominated patients with Mycobacterium kansasii. Clinical symptoms include cough, dyspneu, hemoptysis, chest pain, and sweats. Half of the patients had a history of previous tuberculosis and other comorbid diabetes mellitus. Non-tuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) species identified were dominated by Mycobacterium kansasii. The predominance of non-tuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) species from clinical respiratory can be a reference to determine prudent treatment for patients in high-burden TB countries.