Nontuberculous mycobacteria: susceptibility pattern and prevalence rate in Shanghai from 2005 to 2008.

Background: An increasing incidence of disease caused by nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) is being reported. The purpose of this study was to determine the isolation rates of NTM from various clinical specimens, and their antimicrobial susceptibility patterns, over a 4-year period in Shanghai.

Methods: All NTM isolated between 2005 and 2008 at Shanghai Pulmonary Hospital, a key laboratory of mycobacteria tuberculosis in Shanghai, China, were identified with conventional biochemical tests and 16S rRNA gene sequencing.

[Application of rapid detection for rifampin resistance in clinical isolates of Mycobacterium tuberculosis by phage amplified biologically assay].

Objective: To set up a rapid detection method for rifampin susceptibility with phage amplified biologically (PhaB) assay and to evaluates its value in the detection of rifampin resistance in clinical isolates of Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

Methods: The assay was established to detect rifampin resistance in 524 clinical isolates of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, and the result was compared to that of the absolute concentration method. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) was detected by BACTEC MGIT 960 method for the discrepant isolates.