Mycobacterial Interspersed Repeat Unit–Variable Number Tandem Repeat Typing of <i>Mycobacterium avium</i> Strains Isolated from the Lymph Nodes of Free-Living Carnivorous Animals in Poland
Blanka Orłowska,
Marta Majchrzak,
Anna Didkowska,
Krzysztof Anusz,
Monika Krajewska-Wędzina,
Anna Zabost,
Sywia Brzezińska,
Monika Kozińska,
Ewa Augustynowicz-Kopeć,
Kaja Urbańska,
Mirosław Welz,
Paweł Parniewski
Affiliations
Blanka Orłowska
Department of Food Hygiene and Public Health Protection, Institute of Veterinary Medicine, Warsaw University of Life Sciences (SGGW), Nowoursynowska 159, 02-776 Warsaw, Poland
Marta Majchrzak
Institute of Medical Biology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Lodowa 106, 93-232 Lodz, Poland
Anna Didkowska
Department of Food Hygiene and Public Health Protection, Institute of Veterinary Medicine, Warsaw University of Life Sciences (SGGW), Nowoursynowska 159, 02-776 Warsaw, Poland
Krzysztof Anusz
Department of Food Hygiene and Public Health Protection, Institute of Veterinary Medicine, Warsaw University of Life Sciences (SGGW), Nowoursynowska 159, 02-776 Warsaw, Poland
Monika Krajewska-Wędzina
Department of Microbiology, National Veterinary Research Institute, Aleja Partyzantów 57, 24-100 Puławy, Poland
Anna Zabost
Department of Microbiology, National Tuberculosis Reference Laboratory, National Tuberculosis and Lung Diseases Research Institute, Płocka 26, 01-138 Warsaw, Poland
Sywia Brzezińska
Department of Microbiology, National Tuberculosis Reference Laboratory, National Tuberculosis and Lung Diseases Research Institute, Płocka 26, 01-138 Warsaw, Poland
Monika Kozińska
Department of Microbiology, National Tuberculosis Reference Laboratory, National Tuberculosis and Lung Diseases Research Institute, Płocka 26, 01-138 Warsaw, Poland
Ewa Augustynowicz-Kopeć
Department of Microbiology, National Tuberculosis Reference Laboratory, National Tuberculosis and Lung Diseases Research Institute, Płocka 26, 01-138 Warsaw, Poland
Kaja Urbańska
Department of Morphological Sciences, Division of Histology and Embryology, Institute of Veterinary Medicine, Warsaw University of Life Sciences (SGGW), Nowoursynowska 159, 02-776 Warsaw, Poland
Mirosław Welz
Provincial Veterinary Inspectorate, Piotra Ścigiennego 6a, 38-400 Krosno, Poland
Paweł Parniewski
Institute of Medical Biology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Lodowa 106, 93-232 Lodz, Poland
Non-tuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) are ubiquitous organisms, of which some, especially those of the Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC), may be opportunistic animal and human pathogens. Infection with NTM can interfere with tuberculosis (TB) diagnosis and induce zoonoses, especially in immunocompromised individuals. Diseases caused by NTM have become more readily recognized; however, they are likely still underestimated. In this study, we identified and genotyped Mycobacterium avium strains that were isolated during TB monitoring among free-living carnivorous animals from southeastern Poland. In 2011–2020, lymph node samples from 192 such animals were tested for mycobacteria. A total of 41 isolates of M. avium strains were detected with the use of IS901, IS900, IS1245, and mycobacterial interspersed repeat unit–variable number tandem repeat (MIRU-VNTR) identification. Thirty-three were identified as M. avium subsp. avium. These strains were derived from 1 beech marten (Martes foina), 1 common buzzard (Buteo buteo), 2 European badgers (Meles meles), 3 wolves (Canis lupus), and 26 red foxes (Vulpes vulpes). One strain isolated from a wolf was identified as M. avium subsp. hominissuis. The results show the widespread occurrence of MAC bacilli in the studied environment and additionally comprise new data on the molecular characteristics of M. avium subspecies carried by free-living southeastern Polish carnivores.
