• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.72 no.1
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• pp.55-58
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• 2012

Mycobacterium szulgai is a rare nontuberculous mycobacterium found in Korea. It is an opportunistic pathogen and is usually isolated from patients with a history of alcoholism, chronic pulmonary disease, or an immunocompromising condition. We present here a case of M. szulgai isolated from a patient with a history of pulmonary tuberculosis. A 54-year-old man was admitted with dyspnea and febrile sensation. He had a history of pulmonary tuberculosis which occurred 30 years earlier and treatment with anti-tuberculosis medication. His chest computed tomography scan showed cavitary consolidation in both upper lungs. A sputum acid-fast bacilli (AFB) smear was positive and anti-tuberculous medication was started. However, a polymerase chain reaction for mycobacterium tuberculosis was negative and anti-tuberculous medication was stopped. M. szulgai was isolated on 3 separate sputum and bronchial wash fluid AFB cultures. He was treated with clarithromycin, rifampicin, and ethambutol. After 1 month, a sputum AFB smear and culture became negative and no additional M. szulgai were isolated during a 16-month treatment.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.49-58
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• 1984

The differential diagnosis of atypical mycobacteriosis caused by atypical mycobacteria (with the exception of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Mycobacterium bovis, and Mycobacterium leprae) which are widly distributed in soil and water, from pulmonary tuberculosis is possible only when atypical mycobacteria are isolated and identified. In this investigation, attempts were made to isolate atypical mycobacteria from persons registered as tuberculosis patients in the Anyang Health Center in Anyang City, Kyungki province, Korea. Biological and biochemical tests were performed for the atypical mycobacteria isolated from these patients, also retrospective analysis of clinical and X-ray findings of the patients with bacteriologically confirmed atypical mycobacteriosis were done. The results can be summarized as follows: 1. 103 strains of mycobacteria were isolated among 334 sputum samples from patients. 2. Among the isolated mycobacteria, 10 strains (9.7%) were found to be a atypical mycobacteria and 93 strains (90.3%) were tubercle bacilli of human type. 3. On the basis of Runyon's grouping of atypical mycobacteria, there were 3 strains (30.0 %) of scotochromogen and nonphotochromogen respectively, 4 strains (40.0%) of rapid grower, and no photochromogen. 4. By biochemical tests, 3 strains of scotochromogen were identified as Mycobacterium scrofulaceum (2 strains) and Mycobacterium szulgai (1 strain) 3 strains of nonphotochromogen were Mycobacterium avium-complex (2 strains) and Mycobacterium terriae (1 strain), and 4 strains of rapid grower were Mycobacterium fortuitum (3 strains) and Mycobacterium chelonei. 5. In drug sensitivity tests, all 10 strains isolated atypical mycobacteria showed resistance to various concentration of INH and SM and low concentration (10mcg, 40mcg and 50mcg) of EB, TH, and CS, and were sensitive to only high concentration (20mcg and 100mcg) of EB, TH, CS, and RFP. 6. In analysis of clical findings by the patients with bacteriologically confirmed atypical mycobacteriosis, it was found that clinical symptoms of these patients appeared not to be mild than those of patients with pulmonary tuberculosis. The patients with atypical mycobacteriosis had been treated for pulmonary tuberculosis for a long time and they showed no improvement.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
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• v.40 no.1
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• pp.1-5
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• 2008

Thirty two of bathroom water samples from public bathroom in Seoul areas were examined using acid-fast staining, Lowenstein-Jensen (L-J) medium culture and PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP). In 6.25% (2/32) bathroom water samples, acid-fast bacilli were detected by AFB stain, and in 21.9% (7/32) bathroom water samples, acid fast bacilli grew on L-J media. Of them, six acid-fast bacilli were identified as Mycobacterium avium, and the other AFB as Mycobacterium szulgai by PCR-RFLP. These results are suggested that accidental nontuberculosis mycobacterial infection to a weakness person will be possible in public area.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.39 no.5
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• pp.425-432
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• 1992

Background: The prevalence of tuberculosis in Korea decreased remarkably for the past 30 years, while for at least the recent 10 years, the frequency of disease attributable to mycobacteria other than tuberculosis (MOTT) began to increase both in actual numbers and in the proportion of the total burden of mycobacterioses. Method: Twenty nine cases, diagnosed as having pulmonary disease due to MOTT on the basis of repeated isolations of the relevant organisms from sputum specimens and chest X-ray findings from Jan. 1982 throught Dec. 1991 at the Chest Clinic of the Korean Institute of Tuberculosis, were reviewed in terms of clinical features and courses. Results: 1) Nineteen cases (66%) were infected with Mycobacterium avium-intracellulare, 5 cases (17%) with M. fortuitum, 4 cases (14%) with M. chelonei, and 1 cases (3%) with M. szulgai. 2) The ratio of male versus female patients was 1.9:1. 3) The peak incidence was in the fifth decade. 4) Eighteen cases (62%) had moderately advanced disease and 11 cases (38%) had far advanced disease on chest P-A film. 5) The common symptoms were cough (59%), sputum (52%), and dyspnea (34%). 6) All cases had a previous history of tuberculosis. 7) Most of the isolates were highly resistant to the major antituberculosis drugs and 48~52% showed a sensitivity to cycloserine, kanamycin or enviomycin. 8) Of 19 cases which were treated and followed-up for over 12 months, 3 cases attained negative conversion on cultures (2 M. fortuitum infections, 1 M. szulgai infection). Sixteen cases failed in attaining negative conversion on cultures. However, their clinical courses were chronic and indolent despite of persistant culture positivity. Conclusion: Treatment of these patients has been difficult because of the frequency of severe underlying conditions and the natural resistance of most of the nontuberculous mycobacteria to the presently available drugs.