BMC Infect Dis 2017 Jun 15;17(1):432. Epub 2017 Jun 15.

Department of Cancer Control and Population Health, Graduate School of Cancer Science and Policy, National Cancer Center, 323 Ilsan-ro, Ilsandong-gu, Goyang, 10408, South Korea.

Background: The incidence of nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) infections is increasing worldwide, however formal evaluations of the epidemiology of NTM infections are limited. Understanding the trends and true prevalence of NTM is a major priority for optimizing infection control programmes and resources. The purpose of this study was to investigate the epidemiology, clinical manifestations, and radiologic findings in NTM-infected patients at specialized Tuberculosis (Tb) treatment centre in South Korea, which is endemic to Tb, and find solutions to control NTM infections. Read More

J Clin Rheumatol 2017 Jun;23(4):231-232

University Correctional Health Care, Rutgers University Trenton, NJ Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA Division of Rheumatology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA Division of Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA Division of Infectious Diseases, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA.

J Bone Jt Infect 2016 1;1:50-53. Epub 2016 Aug 1.

The Department of Orthopaedics, Ag. Anargyroi Hospital, Athens, Greece.

This article presents a 19-year old patient with a distal femoral osteosarcoma treated with limb salvage and distal femoral megaprosthetic reconstruction complicated postoperatively by bone leishmaniasis. Bone biopsy was done; bone tissue was sent for cultures and histology. Cultures were negative. Read More

Respir Res 2017 May 15;18(1):93. Epub 2017 May 15.

Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK.

Background: The rising incidence of pulmonary Mycobacterium avium-intracellulare complex (MAI) infection is unexplained but parallels the growing world-wide epidemic of allergic disease. We hypothesized an association between pulmonary MAI infection and Th2-type immune responses as seen in allergy.

Methods: Biomarkers of patient Th2-type immune responses (peripheral blood eosinophil counts and serum IgE levels) were compared between patients with positive pulmonary samples for tuberculosis and non-tuberculous mycobacterial (NTM) infection. Read More

Int J Antimicrob Agents 2017 Jul 3;50(1):35-40. Epub 2017 May 3.

Department of Internal Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital, National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan; Department of Laboratory Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital, National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan. Electronic address:

Advanced molecular typing methods have greatly expanded the taxonomy of Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) species; however, little is known about the epidemiology and clinical features of bacteraemia caused by different MAC species. In this study, the clinical characteristics of patients treated for MAC bacteraemia in a tertiary-care centre in northern Taiwan during 2008-2014 were investigated. Isolates were identified to species level by rpoB gene and 16S-23S rRNA internal transcribed spacer region sequencing. Read More

J Clin Microbiol 2017 Jun 5;55(6):1847-1856. Epub 2017 Apr 5.

Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

Mycobacterium chimaera is an opportunistic environmental mycobacterium belonging to the Mycobacterium avium-M. intracellulare complex. Although most commonly associated with pulmonary disease, there has been growing awareness of invasive M. Read More

J Pediatr Pharmacol Ther 2017 Jan-Feb;22(1):69-73

An 11-year-old African American male with severe combined immunodeficiency variant, non-cystic fibrosis bronchiectasis, pancreatic insufficiency, chronic mycobacterium avium-intracellulare infection, chronic sinusitis, and malnutrition presented with a 1-week history of fevers. He subsequently developed respiratory decompensation and cefepime was discontinued and doripenem was initiated. Doripenem was the carbapenem used due to a national shortage of meropenem. Read More

Case Rep Infect Dis 2017 9;2017:8682354. Epub 2017 Feb 9.

Department of Infectious Disease, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA.

Nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) are a rare cause of prosthetic joint infections (PJI). However, the prevalence of NTM infections may be increasing with the rise of newer immunosuppressive medications such as biologics. In this case report, we describe a rare complication of immunosuppressive therapies and highlight the complexity of diagnosing and treating PJI due to NTM. Read More

J Infect Dev Ctries 2017 Feb 28;11(2):158-165. Epub 2017 Feb 28.

the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, China.

Introduction: Characterizing Mycobacterium intracellulare responsible for nontuberculous mycobacterial (NTM) infections may aid in controlling outbreaks. This study aimed to compare 16S ribosomal ribonucleic acid (rRNA) sequencing and variable-number tandem repeat (VNTR) genotyping of M. intracellulare strains isolated from clinical samples, and to characterize VNTR clusters associated with NTM infections or cavity formation. Read More

Hinyokika Kiyo 2017 Jan;63(1):31-34

The Department of Urology and Kidney Transplantation, Yokohama City University Medical Center.

A 45 year-old-man was admitted to our hospital because of discomfort in his left scrotum. He had a left testicular tumor. We performed high orchiectomy and pathological findings revealed testicular cancer. Read More

Cancer Control 2017 Jan;24(1):60-65

Department of Infectious Diseases, Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, FL.

Right middle lobe (RML) syndrome is defined as recurrent or chronic obstruction or infection of the middle lobe of the right lung. Nonobstructive causes of middle lobe syndrome include inflammatory processes and defects in the bronchial anatomy and collateral ventilation. We report on 2 case patients with RML syndrome, one due to infection with Mycobacterium avium complex followed by M asiaticum infection and the other due to allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis. Read More

Epidemiol Infect 2017 May 7;145(7):1382-1391. Epub 2017 Feb 7.

Biotechnology Institute, CICVyA INTA,Hurlingham, Buenos Aires Province,Argentina.

Mycobacterium avium sp. avium (MAA), M. avium sp. Read More

Cutis 2016 Dec;98(6):E8-E11

Department of Dermatopathology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, USA.

Primary cutaneous Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) infection is rare, particularly among immunocompetent patients. We present the case of a purportedly healthy patient with primary cutaneous MAC infection arising within the excision margins of multiple infiltrating squamous cell carcinomas. Read More

Int J Infect Dis 2017 Feb 6;55:122-124. Epub 2017 Jan 6.

Division of Clinical Microbiology, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden; Department of Clinical Microbiology, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.

Background: Patients with clinical infections caused by the Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) are treated for at least 1 year following sputum conversion with a regimen that suffers from a suboptimal cure rate. The correlation between clinical outcome and drug susceptibility testing breakpoints other than for the macrolides is regarded to be poor. A systematic evaluation of clinical breakpoints for MAC has not been performed so far; thus, the aim of this study was to initiate the process by establishing minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) distributions. Read More

Environ Sci Technol 2017 Feb 26;51(3):1742-1753. Epub 2017 Jan 26.

Drexel University , 3141 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, United States.

A seasonal study on the occurrence of six opportunistic premise plumbing pathogens (OPPPs) in 24 roof-harvested rainwater (RHRW) tanks repeatedly sampled over six monthly sampling events (n = 144) from August 2015 to March 2016 was conducted using quantitative qPCR. Fecal indicator bacteria (FIB) Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Enterococcus spp. Read More

Pediatr Infect Dis J 2017 Apr;36(4):374-378

From the *Infectious Diseases and Microbiology, The Children's Hospital at Westmead, Sydney, Australia; and †Marie Bashir Institute for Infectious Diseases and Biosecurity, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia.

Background: Nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) are ubiquitous organisms with variable disease-causing potential. Bloodstream infections caused by NTM in children are poorly described.

Methods: We describe a retrospective case series of children with culture-confirmed mycobacterial disease managed at the Children's Hospital at Westmead between July 2005 and June 2015. Read More

Water Res 2017 Feb 24;109:310-326. Epub 2016 Nov 24.

Department of Civil, Architectural, and Environmental Engineering, Drexel University, 3141 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.

Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) is a group of environmentally-transmitted pathogens of great public health importance. This group is known to be harbored, amplified, and selected for more human-virulent characteristics by amoeba species in aquatic biofilms. However, a quantitative microbial risk assessment (QMRA) has not been performed due to the lack of dose response models resulting from significant heterogeneity within even a single species or subspecies of MAC, as well as the range of human susceptibilities to mycobacterial disease. Read More

PLoS One 2016 2;11(12):e0167342. Epub 2016 Dec 2.

Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, West China Medical School and West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.

Background: Smear-negative pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) is common and difficult to diagnose. In this study, we investigated the diagnostic value of nucleic acid amplification testing and sequencing combined with acid-fast bacteria (AFB) staining of needle biopsy lung tissues for patients with suspected smear-negative PTB.

Methods: Patients with suspected smear-negative PTB who underwent percutaneous transthoracic needle biopsy between May 1, 2012, and June 30, 2015, were enrolled in this retrospective study. Read More

ACG Case Rep J 2016 Aug 27;3(4):e92. Epub 2016 Jul 27.

Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, UT.

Mycobacterium avium-intracellulare complex (MAC) is an opportunistic infection typically associated with profound immunosuppression, such as AIDS. The presentation of disseminated MAC can be subtle and mimic systemic symptoms associated with lymphoma; abdominal pseudotumor is an exceptionally rare presentation. In the era of highly active anti-retroviral therapy (HAART), opportunistic infections are increasingly rare, and secondary prophylaxis for MAC may be discontinued after adequate therapy and immune reconstitution. Read More

Ann Am Thorac Soc 2017 Jan;14(1):49-56

12 Department of Mycobacterium Reference and Research, The Research Institute of Tuberculosis, Japan Anti-Tuberculosis Association, Tokyo, Japan.

Rationale: Since 2010, mycobacterial examination results have been used widely to survey nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) lung disease.

Objectives: To reveal the clinical and epidemiological status of NTM lung disease in Japan.

Methods: All data on the isolation and identification of mycobacteria in 2012 and 2013 were obtained from three dominant commercial laboratories in Japan. Read More

Head Neck Pathol 2016 Dec 20;10(4):552-555. Epub 2016 Jun 20.

Department of Pathology, Creighton University School of Medicine, Omaha, NE, USA.

Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) is primarily a pulmonary pathogen that affects individuals who are immune deficient or immunocompromised. In this report, we describe a very rare case of MAC infection clinically presenting as a nasal polyp in a patient with type 2 diabetes mellitus. This case illustrates an atypical anatomic location for MAC, the anterior nasal septum in nasal cavity, as well as often overlooked cause of immune compromise, diabetes mellitus. Read More

Cardiovasc Pathol 2017 Jan - Feb;26:4-6. Epub 2016 Oct 5.

Department of Diagnostic Pathology, NTT Medical Center Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.

Vascular changes observed in intralobar pulmonary sequestration (PS) have been reported to be similar to those observed in pulmonary hypertension (PH). However, atherosclerosis in the pulmonary artery, which is one of the characteristic arterial changes of PH, has scarcely been reported in PS. Here, we report this unique manifestation in a 66-year-old man, in whom an intralobar PS fed by an aberrant artery branching from the left gastric artery had been identified 10 years earlier, and who was diagnosed with pneumonia after having symptoms of fever and cough. Read More

J Thorac Imaging 2016 Nov;31(6):W73-W75

Departments of *Radiology †Respiratory Medicine ‡Pathology, Tenri Hospital, Nara, Japan.

Intern Med 2016;55(20):3053-3058. Epub 2016 Oct 15.

Department of Internal Medicine, Ohta-Nishinouchi Hospital, Japan.

We herein report a case of disseminated Mycobacterium avium infection that involved both optic nerves, the conjunctiva, the right lower lung, and multiple skin lesions, including a thoracic nodule. The patient was a 65-year-old man without any significant medical history. The pathogen was detected in the patient's eye discharge, sputum, bronchial lavage fluid, and thoracic nodule. Read More

Rev Esp Quimioter 2016 Dec 3;29(6):338-339. Epub 2016 Oct 3.

Ana García Cañas, Facultad de Ciencias Biomédicas y Salud. Universidad Europea de Madrid. Villaviciosa de Odón (Madrid), Spain.

Acta Dermatovenerol Alp Pannonica Adriat 2016 Sep;25(3):57-58

Department of Infectious Diseases, University Medical Centre Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia.

A small proportion of HIV-infected patients rapidly progress to AIDS; indeed, some individuals have been known to progress to AIDS within a year after primary infection. Pneumonia caused by Pneumocystis jirovecii (PCP) is the most frequent AIDS-defining illness. However, PCP can also rarely occur during primary HIV infection as a result of the severe immunosuppression that may accompany the early stage of HIV infection. Read More

Intern Med 2016;55(18):2669-72. Epub 2016 Sep 15.

Department of Nephrology and Endocrinology, National Defense Medical College, Japan.

A 46-year-old woman suddenly developed peripheral edema. Her massive proteinuria, hypoproteinemia, and renal biopsy findings yielded the diagnosis of minimal change disease (MCD). In addition, lung Mycobacterium avium infection was diagnosed according to a positive culture of her bronchoalveolar lavage fluid. Read More

Cutis 2016 Aug;98(2):82;96

Department of Dermatology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, USA.

Braz J Infect Dis 2017 Jan - Feb;21(1):116-118. Epub 2016 Sep 15.

University of New Mexico Health Sciences Centre, Albuquerque, NM, USA.

A 37-year-old man with AIDS presented with altered mental status four weeks after stopping his medications for Mycobacterium avium-intracellulare (MAI). He had low CD4 cell count and severe hypercalcemia. Bone marrow biopsy revealed bone marrow infiltration by granulomas positive for acid-fast bacilli and cultures grew MAI. Read More

Intern Med 2016 1;55(17):2439-45. Epub 2016 Sep 1.

Department of Respiratory Medicine, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Japan.

A 73-year-old woman was diagnosed with pulmonary Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) infection and received no treatment. Disease progression was evident one year later with the development of myeloperoxidase-antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA) titers and systemic symptoms of a fever, polyarthritis, purpura, and rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis. Her symptoms did not improve with antibiotic treatment. Read More

Biomed Res Int 2016 31;2016:4387461. Epub 2016 Jul 31.

Veterinary Research Institute, Hudcova 70, 621 00 Brno, Czech Republic.

The nontuberculous mycobacteria are typically environmental organisms residing in soil and water. These microorganisms can cause a wide range of clinical diseases; pulmonary disease is most frequent, followed by lymphadenitis in children, skin and soft tissue disease, and rare extra pulmonary or disseminated infections. Mycobacterium avium complex is the second most common cause of pulmonary mycobacterioses after M. Read More

Tidsskr Nor Laegeforen 2016 08 23;136(14-15):1227. Epub 2016 Aug 23.

Seksjon for klinisk immunologi og infeksjonssykdommer Oslo universitetssykehus, Rikshospitalet.

Folia Med (Plovdiv) 2016 Apr-Jun;58(2):131-5

Introduction: Soft tissue infections with Mycobacterium avium complex are more likely to appear in immunocompromised patients. However, they may rarely arise in non-immunosuppressed individuals.

Aim: To present the case of an ear infection with Mycobacterium avium in the absence of demonstrable immunosuppression. Read More

Korean J Fam Med 2016 Jul 21;37(4):248-52. Epub 2016 Jul 21.

Department of Internal Medicine, Daejeon St. Mary's Hospital, The Catholic University of Korea College of Medicine, Daejeon, Korea.

Nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) have been increasingly recognized as an important cause of chronic pulmonary infections. The Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC), which is composed of two species, Mycobacterium avium and Mycobacterium intracelluare, is the most commonly encountered pathogen associated with NTM lung disease. MAC pulmonary infection typically presents in a fibrocavitary form or a nodular bronchiectatic form. Read More

Cureus 2016 Jun 9;8(6):e634. Epub 2016 Jun 9.

Infectious Diseases, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center.

Mycobacterium avium-intracellulare (MAI) causes pulmonary infection in patients with chronic lung diseases or severe T-cell deficiency. Cutaneous manifestations caused by MAI are rare and the few cases reported describe mostly patients with hematologic malignancies who were treated with highly immunosuppressive agents. Herein, we report a case of a breast cancer survivor who developed chronic breast cellulitis due to MAI, following localized breast cancer treatment. Read More

J Infect Chemother 2016 Sep 16;22(9):622-8. Epub 2016 Jul 16.

Department of Respiratory Medicine, Ohara Memorial Kurashiki Healthcare Foundation, Kurashiki Central Hospital, 1-1-1 Miwa, Kurashiki, Okayama 710-8602, Japan.

Background And Objectives: It can be difficult to treat respiratory tract infections caused by Mycobacterium abscessus (M. abscessus) as there is no established treatment strategy. Complications involving other nontuberculous mycobacterial infections such as Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) are also commonly observed. Read More

BMJ Case Rep 2016 Jul 7;2016. Epub 2016 Jul 7.

Department of General Medicine, East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust, Blackburn, UK.

Disseminated atypical Mycobacterium infection is a well-known opportunistic infection in HIV-infected patients with advanced immune deficiency before the introduction of combination antiretroviral therapy. Although the disseminated infection is now rare, few cases of localised infections are reported. A 38-year-old man was diagnosed with HIV infection during asymptomatic sexual health screening. Read More

Nihon Shokakibyo Gakkai Zasshi 2016 Jul;113(7):1230-5

Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Mie University Hospital.

A 70-year-old woman was admitted to our hospital on suspicion of liver tumor on regular abdominal ultrasonography. The abdominal ultrasonography identified a solitary, low-echoic lesion measuring 17mm in diameter in S7. This lesion was not enhanced in any phase of contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT), and thus we performed a liver biopsy. Read More

Br J Radiol 2016 Sep 22;89(1065):20160221. Epub 2016 Jun 22.

4 Ohio State University, Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH, USA.

Histiocytic disorders (HDs) are a diverse group of diseases characterized by pathologic infiltration of normal tissues by cells of the mononuclear phagocyte system. The spectrum of these diseases ranges from treatable infectious diseases to rapidly progressive, life-threatening conditions. Although they are rare and difficult diagnoses, HDs can be diagnosed with the help of clinical and laboratory analyses, imaging features and tissue biopsy. Read More

Kekkaku 2016 Feb;91(2):75-82

In the advanced stages of mycobacterial infections, host immune systems tend to change from a Th1-type to Th2-type immune response, resulting in the abrogation of Th1 cell- and macrophage-mediated antimicrobial host protective immunity. Notably, this type of immune conversion is occasionally associated with the generation of. certain types of suppressor macrophage populations. Read More

Kekkaku 2016 Feb;91(2):41-4

Background: Patients receiving surgical treatment for Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC), lung disease should be followed up with careful attention paid to relapse/recurrence, but there is some debate regarding the findings based on which relapse/recurrence should be diagnosed.

Purpose And Methods: We hypothesized that we might be able to use anti-GPL core IgA antibodies (MAC antibodies), which have been attracting attention as a factor that may support diagnosis of MAC lung disease, to diagnose postoperative relapse/recurrence. Therefore, we compared the levels of these antibodies before and at the time of relapse/recurrence, and also compared antibody titers before and after surgery. Read More

Kekkaku 2016 Feb;91(2):27-32

Purpose: The diagnosis of Mycobacterium avium complex pulmonary disease (MAC-PD) can be challenging. A serodiagnosis enzyme immunoassay (EIA) kit, which detects the serum anti-glycopeptidolipid (GPL) core IgA antibody, has been commercialized recently; however, its clinical usefulness in the diagnosis of MAC-PD is still unclear. This study aimed to evaluate the availability of this kit and identify factors affecting testing accuracy. Read More

Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2016 Aug 22;60(8):4652-8. Epub 2016 Jul 22.

Center for Infectious Diseases Research and Experimental Therapeutics, Baylor Research Institute, Baylor University Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, USA Department of Medicine, University of Cape Town, Observatory, South Africa

Mycobacterium avium-intracellulare complex (MAC) causes an intractable intracellular infection that presents as chronic pulmonary disease. Currently, therapy consists of ethambutol and macrolides and takes several years to complete. The neuroleptic phenothiazine thioridazine kills mycobacteria by inhibiting the electron transport chain. Read More

J Neurol Sci 2016 Jun 20;365:188-9. Epub 2016 Apr 20.

Department of Neurology, Teikyo University School of Medicine, Kaga 2-11-1, Itabashi-ku, Tokyo 1738605, Japan. Electronic address:

Kekkaku 2016 Jan;91(1):1-8

Objective: The incidence rate of nontuberculous mycobacterial (NTM) infection has been increasing globally in recent years. However, reports of osteoarticular NTM infection are relatively rare. We report the characteristic clinical features of patients with osteoarticular NTM infection. Read More

Emerg Infect Dis 2016 Jun;22(6):1124-6

BMC Infect Dis 2016 May 6;16:195. Epub 2016 May 6.

TB Section, Centre for Infectious Disease Surveillance and Control, Public Health England, London, UK.

Background: The incidence of non-tuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) isolation from humans is increasing worldwide. In England, Wales and Northern Ireland (EW&NI) the reported rate of NTM more than doubled between 1996 and 2006. Although NTM infection has traditionally been associated with immunosuppressed individuals or those with severe underlying lung damage, pulmonary NTM infection and disease may occur in people with no overt immune deficiency. Read More

FP Essent 2016 Apr;443:16-22

University of Massachusetts Medical School, 55 N Lake Ave, Worcester, MA 01655.

Care of patients with HIV infection starts with diagnosis as soon as possible, preferably at or near the time of acute infection. Opportunistic infections, malignancies, and other conditions develop progressively over time, particularly in untreated patients. The AIDS-defining opportunistic infections most common in the United States include Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia, Candida esophagitis, toxoplasmic encephalitis, tuberculosis, disseminated Mycobacterium avium complex, cryptococcal meningitis, and cytomegalovirus retinitis. Read More

Biomed Environ Sci 2016 Feb;29(2):85-90

Department of Respiratory Medicine, Chinese-Japanese Friendship Hospital, Beijing 100029, China.

Objective: To gain greater insight into the prevalence drug resistant profiles of M. abscessus from a general hospital in Beijing, China.

Methods: Partial gene sequencing of 16S, hsp65, and rpoB were used to distinguish the species of NTM isolates. Read More