Mycobacterium heckeshornense lung infection that was diagnosed as mycobacterium xenopi disease by DNA-DNA hybridization (DDH)

Abstract

The DNA sequencing analyses of the 16S rRNA gene, rpoB and hsp65 were conducted to characterize six strains that had been identified as Mycobacterium xenopi by DNA-DNA hybridization (DDH) for past ten years in our hospital. The results revealed Mycobacterium heckeshornense infection in one of the six cases. A 47-year-old man, who had been treated for pneumonia, had pulmonary nontuberculous mycobacterial disease. The sputa from the patient were culture positive for mycobacterium in three times. And it was diagnosed as M. xenopi by DDH method. Chest X-ray showed fibrocavitary lesion in right upper lobe was successfully treated with clarithromycin for four weeks. © 2011 The Japanese Society of Internal Medicine.