Non-tuberculous mycobacteria as environmental risk factors for human infectious diseases – isolation of non-tuberculous mycobacteria from patients in the thessaly region (Central greece) and their correlation with sarcoidosis disease

Mycobacteria are organisms that are of great interest in the field of medicine, particularly those causing tuberculosis and leprosy (e.g., mycobacterium tuberculosis). Conversely, the nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) that have been found to be widely dispersed in the environment are considered potentially pathogenic for humans and animals. Recently, NTM found in patients were correlated with sarcoidosis disease. The aim of the present study is to identify atypical mycobacteria, isolated from various samples of patients, and examine their possible correlation with sarcoidosis disease, for the period of 2010 to2016. A total of 296 positive NTM patients (60% male) have been included in the study. Seventeen different NTM species were identified from the studied biological samples. The main species distribution among patients were as follows; M. fortuitum (n=107); M. gordonae (n=61); M. chelonae (n=44); M. intracellulare (n=27); M. avium (n=16) and M. abscessus (n=13). At the same period of time, a total of 124 sarcoidosis cases have been recorded from the same geographical area. The results of the present study showed that indeed there is a large dispersion of positive NTM patients in the environment. In addition, regarding the geographical distribution of positive NTM patients and patients with sarcoidosis disease in the same study area, there is evidence of a possible correlation between them. © 2017, Internet Scientific Publications, LLC. All rights reserved