Work

Primary tuberculous mycobacterial granulomas provide a niche for superinfecting Mycobacterium abscessus

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: Prior and concurrent tuberculosis infection are among the most important susceptibility factors for nontuberculous mycobacterial infection in Asia. Here we model this process in zebrafish with a primary Mycobacterium marinum infection followed by a secondary M. abscessus infection. We demonstrate preferential growth of secondary M. abscessus infection inside primary M. marinum granulomas. Granuloma-resident secondary M. abscessus is protected from macrophage-mediated immune control and antibiotic therapy. Successful colonization is driven by expansion of M. abscessus feeding on caseum produced by the primary M. marinum ESX-1 virulence program in a nutritionally separate niche from M. marinum . Our data suggest tuberculous granulomas may provide a long-lasting niche for the growth of the opportunistic pathogen Mycobacterium abscessus .

Source: Nature Communications

DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-65797-7