Pulmonary TB — Or Nontuberculous Mycobacterial Infection?

In a series of 445 mycobacteria-positive pulmonary patients, 32% had TB, and 6% had nontuberculous mycobacterial infections with symptoms suggestive of TB.

Widespread in the environment, nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) are usually considered nonpathogenic. However, in immunocompromised patients or individuals with preexisting lung disease, these bacteria can cause cough, hemoptysis, fever, and weight loss — symptoms typical of TB.

To investigate the epidemiology of NTM infections, researchers in Warsaw, Poland, performed a retrospective analysis of hospitalized HIV-negative pulmonary patients with suspected TB. Of 4192 patients examined between 1999 and 2005, 445 had positive acid-fast bacilli smears, positive mycobacterial cultures, or both. One hundred forty-two of these 445 were found to be infected with Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

Of the remaining 303 patients, 276 were determined to have …

Reviewing Author

Thomas Glück, MD

Disclosures

Editorial BoardsConsilium Infectiorum by InfectoPharm, Infection

Thomas Glück, MD

Disclosures

Editorial BoardsConsilium Infectiorum by InfectoPharm, Infection

Pulmonary TB — Or Nontuberculous Mycobacterial Infection?

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Reviewing Author