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Volume 13, Number 12—December 2007
Dispatch

Human and Animal Infections with Mycobacterium microti, Scotland

Francis Xavier Emmanuel*, Amie-Louise Seagar*Comments to Author , Christine Doig*, Alan Rayner*, Pauline Claxton*, and Ian Laurenson*
Author affiliations: *Scottish Mycobacteria Reference Laboratory, Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom;

Main Article

Table 1

Summary of all reported cases of human infections with Mycobacterium microti*

Case-patient no. Ref Age, sex,
country Immune status Infection site Animal contact Laboratory findings Outcome
1 (8) 48 y, M, Germany HIV positive Lung None Llama type. Good growth in liquid medium. Poor on pyruvate. Drug susceptible. Curved bacilli. Cured
2 (7,10) 39 y, M, the Netherlands HIV positive Lung; lymph nodes House mice Cultures negative; curved bacilli in sputum. Vole type on direct spoligotyping. Cured after prolonged therapy†
3 (7) 12 y, M, the Netherlands Renal transplant Lung meninges None Vole type. Other details unavailable. Cured
4 (7) 41 y, M, the Netherlands Renal transplant Peritoneal Wild small rodents Vole type. Other details unavailable. Died despite therapy
5 (7) 34 y, M, the Netherlands Normal Lung Lived in mobile home Vole type. Other details unavailable. Cured
6 (9) 53 y, M, Germany Normal Lung None Llama type. AFB film negative. Liquid culture better than pyruvate agar. No growth on normal egg media. Fully drug susceptible. Noncurved bacilli. Cured
7 (9) 58 y, M,
Germany Diabetic Lung None Vole type. Growth on liquid culture only (poor). Susceptibility not done. Noncurved bacilli. Cured
8 (5) Not known; England or Wales Not known Not known Not known Llama type. Not known
9 to 12 (5) Not known; England or Wales Not known Not known Not known Vole type. Not known
13 (11) 69 y, sex not known, Germany Normal Abdominal/ miliary Not known Vole type. Primary culture in liquid. Subculture in solid agar. Died, despite appropriate therapy

*Ref, reference; M, male; AFB, acid-fast bacilli.
†Three household contacts were found to be tuberculin positive.

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