Journal Article

Epidemiology of infection by pulmonary non-tuberculous mycobacteria in French Guiana 2008–2018

Emilie Mosnier, French Guiana PNTM working group, Nicolas Veziris, Loïc Epelboin, Veronique Jacomo, Emmanuel Beillard, Sabine Trombert-Paolantoni, Felix Djossou, Claire Andrejak, Stéphanie Guyomard-Rabenirina, Milène Chaptal, Timothée Bonifay, Geneviève Guillot, Magalie Demar

2022

Overview

Introduction Unlike diseases caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis, M. leprae and M. ulcerans, the epidemiology of pulmonary non-tuberculous mycobacteria (PNTM) has not received due attention in French Guiana. The main objective of the current study was to define the incidence of these PNTM infections: NTM pulmonary diseases (NTM-PD) and casual PNTM isolation (responsible of latent infection or simple colonization). The secondary objectives were to determine species diversity and geographic distribution of these atypical mycobacteria. Methods A retrospective observational study (2008-2018) of French Guiana patients with at least one PNTM positive respiratory sample in culture was conducted. Patients were then classified into two groups: casual PNTM isolation or pulmonary disease (NTM-PD), according to clinical, radiological and microbiological criteria defined by the American Thoracic Society / Infectious Disease Society of America (ATS / IDSA) in 2007. Results 178 patients were included, out of which 147 had casual PNTM isolation and 31 had NTM-PD. Estimated annual incidence rate of respiratory isolates was 6.17 / 100,000 inhabitants per year while that of NTM-PD was 1.07 / 100,000 inhabitants per year. Among the 178 patients, M. avium complex (MAC) was the most frequently isolated pathogen (38%), followed by M. fortuitum then M. abscessus (19% and 6% of cases respectively), the latter two mycobacteria being mainly found in the coastal center region. Concerning NTM-PD, two species were mainly involved: MAC (81%) and M. abscessus (16%). Discussion/Conclusion This is the first study on the epidemiology of PNTM infections in French Guiana. PNTM's incidence looks similar to other contries and metropolitan France and NTM-PD is mostly due to MAC and M.abscessus. Although French Guiana is the French territory with the highest tuberculosis incidence, NTM should not be overlooked.

• Publisher: Public Library of Science (PLoS),Public Library of Science
• Subject: [SDV.MHEP] Life Sciences [q-bio]/Human health and pathology / Arctic medicine. Tropical medicine / Biology and Life Sciences / Causes of / Colonization / Comparative analysis / Earth Sciences / Epidemiology / French Guiana / Geographical distribution / Geography / Human health and pathology / Humans / Infections / Infectious diseases / Inhabitants / Laboratories / Latent infection / Lavage / Leprosy / Life Sciences / Lung / Lung Diseases / Medicine and Health Sciences / Mycobacterial infections / Mycobacterium / Mycobacterium Infections, Nontuberculous / Nontuberculous Mycobacteria / Observational studies / Pathogens / Patients / People and places / Public aspects of medicine / RA1-1270 / RC955-962 / Research Article / Respiration / Species diversity / Statistics / Thorax / Tropical diseases / Tuberculosis / Ulcers