A total of 54 rapidly growing mycobacteria (RGM) isolated from patients attended in the two hospitals of Cádiz Bay (Spain) were selected during a seven-year-period (2000-2006) in order to evaluate the INNO-LiPA Mycobacteria v2 assay for mycobacterial identification, based on the reverse hybridization principle. The strains were cultured in Löwenstein-Jensen and Middlebrook 7H9 media and identified to the species level by sequencing of the 16S rRNA, PCR-restriction enzyme analysis of the hsp65 gene, conventional tests and INNO-LiPA Mycobacteria v2 assay. By the molecular methods we identified a total of 12 different species: 23 Mycobacterium fortuitum, 11 M. chelonae, 10 M. abscessus, 2 M. senegalense, 1 M. alvei, 1 M. brumae, 1 M. mageritense, 1 M. mucogenicum, 1 M. neoaurum, 1 M. peregrinum, 1 M. septicum and 1 M. smegmatis. Fifty two strains (96.3%) were correctly identified by conventional techniques and 47 strains (87.0%) by INNO-LiPA Mycobacteria v2 assay. We find INNO-LiPA Mycobacteria v2 assay simple to perform but it provides few advantages in comparison with conventional methods and sometimes needs complementary tests to identify Mycobacterium fortuitum complex, M. chelonae complex and specific species due to the great heterogeneity in the RGM group.

Background: Rapidly growing mycobacteria (RGM) are considered opportunistic pathogens. An increasing number of post traumatic or surgical infections are caused by these microorganisms. Aim: To determine the antimicrobial susceptibility of RGM using the E-test method. Material and methods: A total of 54 isolates of RGM was obtained from several clinical samples and selected for this study Strains were identified to the species level by phenotypic and biochemical characteristics, PCR-restriction enzyme analysis of the hsp65 gene (PRA) and sequencing of the 16S rRNA. Susceptibility was investigated by E-test to amikacin, cefoxitin, ciprofioxacin, clarithromycin, imipenem, quinupristin/dalfopristin, linezolid and tigecycline. Results: Twelve different species of RGM were identified: Mycobacterium fortuitum (23 strains), M chelonae (11), M abscessus (10), Msenegalense (2), Malvei (1), Mbrumae (1), Mmageritense (1), mucogenicum (1), M neoaurum (1), Mperegrinum (1), M septicum (1) y M smegmatis (1). All the strains were inhibited by low concentrations of amikacin and tigecycline. Susceptibility to cefoxitin, fluoroquinolones, clarithromycin, imipenem and linezolid was variable. All but two strains were resistant to quinupristin/ dalfopristin. Conclusions: Due to the uneven antimicrobial susceptibility of different species of RGM, an antimicrobial susceptibility test is mandatory for these microorganisms. The E-test method is well suited to determine minimum inhibitory concentrations.