ABSTRACT
This research compared the numbers and types of different Mycobacterium species in soil samples taken from 2 areas of Golestan province, Islamic Republic of Iran, 1 with a high prevalence of tuberculosis and 1 with a low prevalence. From 220 samples, 91 grew positive cultures (41.4%) and 161 different strains were diagnosed. The most common species isolated were Mycobacterium fortuitum, M. flavescens and M. chelonae. The frequencies of environmental Mycobacterium in the low-prevalence area were much higher than in the high-prevalence area, perhaps due to different environmental fac-
Subject(s)
Nontuberculous Mycobacteria/isolation & purification , Soil Microbiology , Tuberculosis/epidemiology , BCG Vaccine/immunology , Bacterial Typing Techniques , Endemic Diseases/statistics & numerical data , Environmental Exposure/adverse effects , Environmental Monitoring/methods , Epidemiological Monitoring , Humans , Incidence , Iran/epidemiology , Mycobacterium Infections/complications , Mycobacterium Infections/epidemiology , Mycobacterium Infections/microbiology , Mycobacterium chelonae/isolation & purification , Mycobacterium fortuitum/isolation & purification , Mycobacterium kansasii/isolation & purification , Mycobacterium marinum/isolation & purification , Nontuberculous Mycobacteria/immunology , Nontuberculous Mycobacteria/pathogenicity , Population Surveillance , Prevalence , Tuberculosis/complications , Tuberculosis/prevention & control , Vaccination/standardsABSTRACT
This research compared the numbers and types of different Mycobacterium species in soil samples taken from 2 areas of Golestan province, Islamic Republic of Iran, 1 with a high prevalence of tuberculosis and 1 with a low prevalence. From 220 samples, 91 grew positive cultures [41.4%] and 161 different strains were diagnosed. The most common species isolated were Mycobacterium fortuitum, M. flavescens and M. chelonae. The frequencies of environmental Mycobacterium in the low-prevalence area were much higher than in the high-prevalence area, perhaps due to different environmental factors
