Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases

The Korean Academy of Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases (대한결핵및호흡기학회)
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Clinical Significance of Low-colony Count Scotochromogen Nontuberculous Mycobacteria

균집락수가 적은 암색소성 비결핵항산균 배양의 임상적 의미

  • Lee, Jung Yeon (Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Asan Medical Center) ;
  • Kim, Mi-Na (Department of Diagnostic Laboratory Medicine, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Asan Medical Center) ;
  • Chung, Hee-Jung (Department of Diagnostic Laboratory Medicine, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Asan Medical Center) ;
  • Jun, Kyung Ran (Department of Diagnostic Laboratory Medicine, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Asan Medical Center) ;
  • Choi, Hee Jin (Asan Institute for Life Sciences, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Asan Medical Center) ;
  • Lee, Hyeyoung (Department of Biomedical Laboratory Science, Yonsei University Wonju College of Medicine) ;
  • Joung, Eun Young (Product Planning and Development Dept. M&D Co., LTD.) ;
  • Oh, Yeon-Mok (Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Asan Medical Center) ;
  • Lee, Sang Do (Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Asan Medical Center) ;
  • Kim, Woo Sung (Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Asan Medical Center) ;
  • Kim, Dong Soon (Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Asan Medical Center) ;
  • Kim, Won Dong (Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Asan Medical Center) ;
  • Shim, Tae Sun (Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Asan Medical Center)
  • 이정연 (울산대학교 의과대학 서울아산병원 호흡기내과) ;
  • 김미나 (울산대학교 의과대학 서울아산병원 진단검사의학과) ;
  • 정희정 (울산대학교 의과대학 서울아산병원 진단검사의학과) ;
  • 전경란 (울산대학교 의과대학 서울아산병원 진단검사의학과) ;
  • 최희진 (울산대학교 의과대학 서울아산병원 아산생명과학연구소) ;
  • 이혜영 (연세대학교 원주의과대학 보건과학대학 임상병리학과) ;
  • 정은영 ((주)엠엔디 연구개발부) ;
  • 오연목 (울산대학교 의과대학 서울아산병원 호흡기내과) ;
  • 이상도 (울산대학교 의과대학 서울아산병원 호흡기내과) ;
  • 김우성 (울산대학교 의과대학 서울아산병원 호흡기내과) ;
  • 김동순 (울산대학교 의과대학 서울아산병원 호흡기내과) ;
  • 김원동 (울산대학교 의과대학 서울아산병원 호흡기내과) ;
  • 심태선 (울산대학교 의과대학 서울아산병원 호흡기내과)
  • Received : 2005.01.11
  • Accepted : 2005.06.16
  • Published : 2005.07.30
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Abstract

Background : Even though it has been suggested that low-colony, scotochromogen nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) are usually contaminants and not true pathogens, evidence for this hypothesis has not been provided. This study investigated the colony characteristics, organism identification, and clinical significance of low-colony scotochromogen. Methods : The laboratory cultured 6,898 respiratory clinical specimens for an examination of mycobacteria over a three-month period. A low-colony count was arbitrarily defined as ${\leq}20$ colonies. This study analyzed the recovery rate of the mycobacteria, the number of colonies and their gross characteristics, and their clinical significance. PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis was carried out to identify the NTM species. NTM pulmonary disease was defined according to the American Thoracic Society. Results : A total of 6,898 respiratory specimens for mycobacterium were cultured. Of these, 263 (3.8%) grew NTM, and 382 (5.5%) grew M. tuberculosis. Of the 263 cultured NTM specimens, 124 (47.1%) were scotochromogens. The smear-positive rate was significantly lower in these scotochromogens (4.8%) than in the non-scotochromogens (23.7%) (p<0.05). The most common isolates were M. gordonae (83/102, 81.4%) in the scotochromogens, and MAC (52/121, 43.0%) in the non-scotochromogens. Even though three out of 113 patients with a low-colony scotochromogen has been diagnosed with NTM pulmonary disease, the isolated scotochromogen was not considered to be the cause of the NTM disease but was just a contaminant. Conclusion : In this study, the most common isolate of a low-colony count scotochromogen was M. gordonae, which appeared to be contaminants and not true pathogens. Greater efforts in the quality control of a mycobacterium laboratory are needed in cases where there is a high recovery rate of low-colony count scotochromogen.

배 경: 암색소성이면서 집락수가 적은 비결핵항산균이 분리되는 경우 실제 NTM폐질환의 원인일 가능성이 낮다고 추정되나 아직 이에 대한 보고는 없는 실정이다. 본 연구는 암색소성 저집락군 NTM배양의 임상적 의미를 알아보고자 시행되었다. 방 법 : 3개월간 항산균 검사가 의뢰된 6,898예를 대상으로 하여 분석하였으며 무작위로 집락수가 20개 이하인 경우를 저집락군으로 정의하였다. 모든 검체에서 결핵균, NTM의 배양 빈도를 확인하고, NTM에서는 암색소성 여부와 집락수를 분석하였다. NTM은 PRA법으로 동정하였으며 NTM폐질환의 진단은 미국흉부학회의 기준을 따랐다. 결 과: 총 6,898검체 중 NTM은 263(3.8%)예(206명) 결핵균은 382(5.5%)예 분리되었다. NTM 263 균주 중 암 색소성 균주는 124예(47.1%, 112명)이었다. 암색소성중 도말양성은 6예(4.8%)로 비암색소성 139균주 중 33예 (23.7%)에 비하여 의미 있게 낮았다(p<0.05). 균동정은 암색소성은 M. gordonae 83예(81.4%)가 가장 많이 분리되었고, 비암색소성은 MAC 52예(43.0%), M. abscessus 29예(24.0%), M. fortuitum complex 17예(14.0%)의 순이었다. 암색소성-저집락군 113명중 NTM폐질환은 3예 있었으나 모두 비암색소성으로 알려진 다른 균이 원인균이었다. 결 론 : 본 연구에서 암색소성-저집락 NTM은 대부분 M. gordonae였으며 NTM폐질환의 원인균이 아닌 오염균으로 추정되었다. 저집락수, 암색소성 비결핵항산균의 분리비율이 높을 경우 오염의 가능성을 생각하여 검사실의 정도관리에 최선을 다해야 할 것이다.

Keywords

References

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