First isolation of Mycobacterium brisbanense from humans in the Americas

BACKGROUND Mycobacterium brisbanense is a rare nontuberculous mycobacteria and was for the first time detected in the Americas in humans. However, this, like several other species of mycobacteria, may be underreported worldwide. Therefore, their study is increasingly important. OBJECTIVES The aim of this article is to report and analyse the first seven human isolates of M. brisbanense in the Americas, derived from six Brazilian patients. METHODS We sequenced the genes hsp65, rpoB and 16s rRNA, of seven mycobacterial clinical isolates, constructed a phylogenetic tree, and determined their drug susceptibility profile. FINDINGS The regions sequenced were highly similar between the M. brisbanense type strain and the Brazilian strains. Similarly, their susceptibility profiles were similar to that of M. brisbanense type strain, except for two antibiotics tested, cefoxitin and doxycycline. MAIN CONCLUSIONS All studied strains were identified at the species level by a concatenated tree as M. brisbanense.