The identification of regulatory regions for a gene is an important step towards deciphering the gene regulation. Regulatory regions tend to be conserved under evolution that facilitates the application of comparative genomics to identify such regions. The present study is an attempt to make use of this attribute to identify regulatory regions in the Mycobacterium species followed by the develo...

Tuberculosis and nontuberculous mycobacterial infections constitute a high burden of pulmonary disease in humans, resulting in over 1.5 million deaths per year. Building on the premise that genetic factors influence the instance, progression, and defense of infectious disease, we undertook a systems biology approach to investigate relationships among genetic factors that may play a role in incr...

objective(s) rapidly growing mycobacteria (rgm) are capable of producing diseases in humans. since mycobacteria vary in their susceptibility, precise identification is critical for adoption of correct drug therapy. the main aim of this study was molecular identification and evaluation of antimicrobial susceptibility pattern of iranian clinically isolated myocbacterium fortuitum. materials and m...

Mycobacterial growth in liquid culture can go undetected by automated, nonradiometric growth detection systems. In our laboratory, instrument-negative tubes from the Bactec MGIT 960 system are inspected visually for clumps suggestive of mycobacterial growth, which (if present) are examined by acid-fast smear analysis. A 3-year review demonstrated that ∼1% of instrument-negative MGIT cultures co...

Whole mycobacterial cells, which are used in Freund's complete adjuvant, besides inducing hypersensitivity to tuberculoprotein, also can elicit hyperreactivity to endotoxins, lymphoid hyperplasia, and allergic polyarthritis in rats. The data reported here demonstrate that a potent water-soluble adjuvant obtained from mycobacterial cell walls is also effective in increasing the immune response t...

BACKGROUND Tuberculosis infection, disease and mortality are all less common at high than low altitude and ascent to high altitude was historically recommended for treatment. The immunological and mycobacterial mechanisms underlying the association between altitude and tuberculosis are unclear. We studied the effects of altitude on mycobacteria and antimycobacterial immunity. METHODS Antimyco...

Background Mycobacterium tuberculosis has evolved highly specialized mechanisms to proliferate in the host during infection. In this process, the infection of alveolar epithelial cells is a necessary step for mycobacteria dissemination; however the mechanisms of mycobacterial epithelial interactions are incompletely understood. Previously, we characterized the role of epithelial G protein coupl...

We describe a case of non-tuberculous mycobacterial infection of the larynx in a previously well, immunocompetent young woman. Laryngeal mycobacterial infection is rare and currently accounts for less than 1% of all cases. A diagnostic dilemma often occurs because it may mimic laryngeal carcinoma, chronic laryngitis, or laryngeal candidiasis. This case highlights the importance of considering n...