From Peruvian mummies to living humans: first case of pulmonary tuberculosis caused by <i>Mycobacterium pinnipedii</i>
Ljiljana Žmak, Mihaela Obrovac, Mateja Janković Makek, G. Perko, Jasna Tekavec Trkanjec
The International Journal of Tuberculosis and Lung Disease · 2019-12
Abstract
The zoonotic potential of Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex species is well known. However, M. pinnipedii , the causative agent of tuberculosis (TB) predominantly in seals and sea lions, has never been isolated from a respiratory specimen in humans. Here we describe the first known human case of pulmonary TB caused by M. pinnipedii in a 79-year-old female patient with rheumatoid arthritis and chronic respiratory disease. The epidemiological data did not explain where the patient was exposed to M. pinnipedii , thus leaving the source of transmission unknown.
MeSH terms
- Tuberculosis
- Mycobacterium tuberculosis
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- Medicine
- Transmission (telecommunications)
- Pulmonary disease
- Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex
- Epidemiology
- Pulmonary tuberculosis
- Respiratory system
- Disease
- Immunology
- Microbiology