Mycobacterial contamination of metalworking fluids: Involvement of a possible new taxon of rapidly growing mycobacteria

Contamination of air and metalworking fluid (MWF) systems with a rapidly growing mycobacterium (RGM) was detected in 1995 in a single manufacturing plant with recent cases of hypersensitivity pneumonitis (HP). Extensive environmental sampling was performed to determine the extent of the contamination and its variability over time. RGM were present in multiple indoor air samples, 100% of the central MWF storage tanks, and 75% of the freestanding cutting, drilling, and grinding machines. With one exception, contamination was limited to a recently introduced formulation (brand) of semisynthetic MWF used in 95% of the facility's machining operations. In general, the mycobacterial counts were stable over time, with the degree of contamination ranging from 10(2)-10(7) colony forming units (CFU)/mL. A few systems were culture positive for the mycobacterium (>10(1) CFU/mL), changed to culture negative (<10(1) CFU/mL), then changed back to culture positive without explanation. Samples obtained from diluted (5%) but unused MWF, a replenishment line with 2% unused MWF, an MWF pasteurizer, city water, and deionized water were culture negative for this species of mycobacterium. Inoculation and growth studies demonstrated that this mycobacterium does not grow in liquid samples of 5% unused MWF. By molecular techniques, the mycobacterial isolates consisted of a single strain and represented a previously undescribed taxon closely related to Mycobacterium chelonae/abscessus. The relationship of this mycobacterium to the cases of HP is unknown.