Isolation of Mycobacterium malmoense in the island of Crete, Greece.
No Thumbnail Available
Date
2008-07-13
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Abstract
Mycobacterium malmoense was isolated from a broncho-alveolar lavage sample of a 73-year-old cancer (small cell lung carcinoma) patient in Crete, representing the first reported case of this pathogen in Greece. The isolate was considered to be a colonizer and the patient did not receive any antimycobacterial treatment while he received chemotherapy to which he responded favourably. No signs of pulmonary infection were noted during the course of his disease. This case provides evidence of the ubiquitous nature of this mycobacterial species, believed until recently to favour cooler climates. We, therefore, propose that the index of suspicion for this pathogen should be raised particularly in patients with underlying immunodeficiency, cancer and chronic lung disease, irrespective of the geographic location.
Description
Keywords
Citation
Kourbeti IS, Neonakis IK, Gitti Z, Spandidos DA. Isolation of Mycobacterium malmoense in the island of Crete, Greece. Indian Journal of Medical Microbiology. 2008 Jul-Sep; 26(3): 267-9