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Home / The International Journal of Tuberculosis and Lung Disease, Volume 10, Number 3

Rhodococcus and Mycobacterium tuberculosis: masquerade or mixed infection [Case Study]

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Rhodocci have a morphology similar to that of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (TB), and are indistinguishable from normal diphtheroid flora. Symptoms include fever, productive/non-productive cough and pleuritic chest pain. Rhodococcal infections, being resistant to routine anti-tuberculosis medications, may be misdiagnosed as drug-resistant TB, thus prompting treatment for TB with rifampicin-containing regimens that promote the emergence of resistance. We present here a sputum smear AFB-positive case who, although clinically cured, remains unresolved despite a series of technological investigations as to the cause of infection being purely rhodococci or mixed infection with M. tuberculosis.

Keywords: IS1081; Mycobacterium tuberculosis; Oxy R; Rhodococcus equi; mixed infections; rpoβ mutations

Document Type: Short Communication

Affiliations: 1: Foundation for Medical Research, Mumbai, India 2: Imperial College School of Science, Technology and Medicine, London, United Kingdom 3: Swedish Institute for Infectious Disease Control, Stockholm, Sweden

Publication date: 01 March 2006

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  • The International Journal of Tuberculosis and Lung Disease (IJTLD) is for clinical research and epidemiological studies on lung health, including articles on TB, TB-HIV and respiratory diseases such as COVID-19, asthma, COPD, child lung health and the hazards of tobacco and air pollution. Individuals and institutes can subscribe to the IJTLD online or in print – simply email us at [email protected] for details.

    The IJTLD is dedicated to understanding lung disease and to the dissemination of knowledge leading to better lung health. To allow us to share scientific research as rapidly as possible, the IJTLD is fast-tracking the publication of certain articles as preprints prior to their publication. Read fast-track articles.

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