Search Our Scientific Publications & Authors

Molecules 2019 Apr 16;24(8). Epub 2019 Apr 16.

Department of Microbial Chemistry, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kitasato University, Tokyo 108-8641, Japan.

complex (MAC) is a serious disease mainly caused by and Although the incidence of MAC infection is increasing worldwide, only a few agents are clinically used, and their therapeutic effects are limited. Therefore, new anti-MAC agents are needed. Approximately 6600 microbial samples were screened for new anti-mycobacterial agents that inhibit the growth of both M. Read More

BMJ Case Rep 2019 Apr 3;12(4). Epub 2019 Apr 3.

Department of Internal Medicine, Akiota Hospital, Yamagata-gun, Hiroshima, Japan.

complex (MAC) is a rare cause of meningoencephalitis. Non-tuberculous mycobacterium meningoencephalitis including MAC meningoencephalitis is an important cause of rapidly progressive dementia. We present a case of MAC meningoencephalitis in an immunosuppressed woman who had progressively impaired cognitive function. Read More

Chin Med J (Engl) 2019 Mar 27. Epub 2019 Mar 27.

Department of Clinical Laboratory, Public Health Clinical Center of Chengdu, Chengdu, Sichuan 610066, China.

Background: Human-immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection is increasing worldwide and nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) is an established microbiologic cause of pulmonary disease, lymphadenitis, and disseminated disease in cases of advanced immune suppression. Data on patients co-infected with HIV and NTM are limited, this study aimed to analyze the clinical characteristics, drug resistance, and pathogen spectrum of patients co-infected with HIV and NTM in the Chengdu area of China to provide a scientific basis for the prevention, control, diagnosis, and treatment of the disease.

Methods: Data of 59 patients co-infected with HIV and NTM collected from the Public Health Clinical Center of Chengdu, between January 2014 and December 2018, were analyzed. Read More

Euro Surveill 2019 Mar;24(11)

Unit Bacterial Diseases Service, Infectious diseases in Humans, Sciensano, Brussels, Belgium.

IntroductionIn 2007, a new federal legislation in Belgium prohibited non-biosafety level 3 laboratories to process culture tubes suspected of containing mycobacteria.AimTo present mycobacterial surveillance/diagnosis data from the Belgian National Reference Centre for mycobacteria (NRC) from 2007 to 2016.MethodsThis retrospective observational study investigated the numbers of analyses at the NRC and false positive cultures (interpreted as containing mycobacteria at referring clinical laboratories, but with no mycobacterial DNA detected by PCR in the NRC). Read More

Int J Mycobacteriol 2019 Jan-Mar;8(1):98-100

Department of Infectious Diseases, Sunshine Coast University Hospital, Queensland; Faculty of Medicine, Centre for Clinical Research, The University of Queensland, Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital Campus, Brisbane, Australia.

Primary cutaneous Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) infection is a rare diagnosis in both immunocompetent and immunocompromised hosts. Disseminated MAC almost always occurs in the setting of advanced HIV infection and typically results from initial pulmonary or gastrointestinal disease. We describe a case of a 70-year-old female with systemic sclerosis and severe tumoral calcinosis that developed disseminated MAC infection secondary to deep cutaneous disease. Read More

AJR Am J Roentgenol 2019 Feb 26:1-8. Epub 2019 Feb 26.

2 Department of Medicine, Division of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.

Objective: We aimed to explore proportion, involved organisms, and serial CT features of nodular bronchiectatic (NB) Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) pulmonary diseases that manifested as unilateral lung disease.

Materials And Methods: We retrospectively identified 674 patients with NB MAC pulmonary disease (PD) who underwent serial CT studies from January 2005 through December 2012. We selected patients with unilateral lung involvement as its initial manifestation. Read More

Microorganisms 2019 Feb 1;7(2). Epub 2019 Feb 1.

Division of Pulmonology, Allergy and Immunology, Department of Pediatrics, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, 10900 Euclid Ave. BRB 822, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA.

Infection with nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) is a complication of lung disease in immunocompromised patients, including those with human immunodeficiency virus and acquired immune deficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and cystic fibrosis (CF). The most widespread, disease-causing NTM is complex (), which colonizes the lungs as a combination of , , and other mycobacterial species. While combination drug therapy exists for colonization, there is no cure. Read More

Transplant Proc 2018 Dec 8;50(10):3937-3939. Epub 2018 Sep 8.

Program in Adult Transplant Infectious Disease, Division of Infectious Disease and International Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Genitourinary (GU) tract infection with Mycobacterium avium intracellulare complex (MAI) is very rare and, to our knowledge, has never been reported in the solid organ transplant literature. CASE DESCRIPTION: A 61-year-old Somali-born woman had a history of liver cirrhosis due to chronic hepatitis C infection. She was diagnosed as having and treated for latent tuberculosis infection and GU tract infection due to MAI. Read More

Rev Mal Respir 2019 Jan 17;36(1):57-62. Epub 2018 Dec 17.

Université François Rabelais, Inserm U1100, faculté de médecine de Tours, 37000 Tours, France.

Introduction: Mycobacterium avium complex can be responsible for a number of different radio-clinical presentations, ranging from invasive infections to hypersensitivity pneumonitis due to repeated inhalation of antigens. The diagnosis of hypersensitivity pneumonitis is clinical, radiological, biological and microbiological.

Case Report: A 61-year-old male developed a hypersensitivity pneumonitis reaction to non-tuberculous mycobacteria, following the repeated use of his own spa, which later evolved into chronic respiratory failure. Read More

J Cell Physiol 2019 Jul 12;234(7):9994-10001. Epub 2018 Dec 12.

Department of Microbiology, School of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.

Background: Mycobacterium avium-intracellulare complex (MAC) is one of the leading causes of death among people living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). The current study was aimed to determine the frequency of MAC infection in patients infected with HIV.

Methods: Embase, PubMed, and Web of Science were searched for relevant studies. Read More

Clin Case Rep 2018 Nov 27;6(11):2156-2159. Epub 2018 Sep 27.

Department of Medicine Madigan Army Medical Center Tacoma Washington.

The link between Myobacterium avium-intracellulare and lung cancer remains underemphasized in literature. Our objective is to increase awareness of Myobacterium avium-intracellulare and coexisting lung cancer and to emphasize the need in establishing prevalence and specific testing guidelines in this patient population. Read More

Clin Microbiol Rev 2018 01 14;32(1). Epub 2018 Nov 14.

Servicio de Dermatología y Departamento de Micología, Hospital General de México, Mexico City, Mexico.

Humans encounter mycobacterial species due to their ubiquity in different environmental niches. In many individuals, pathogenic mycobacterial species may breach our first-line barrier defenses of the innate immune system and modulate the activation of phagocytes to cause disease of the respiratory tract or the skin and soft tissues, sometimes resulting in disseminated infection. Cutaneous mycobacterial infections may cause a wide range of clinical manifestations, which are divided into four main disease categories: (i) cutaneous manifestations of infection, (ii) Buruli ulcer caused by and other related slowly growing mycobacteria, (iii) leprosy caused by and , and (iv) cutaneous infections caused by rapidly growing mycobacteria. Read More

Transpl Infect Dis 2019 Feb 19;21(1):e13019. Epub 2018 Nov 19.

Department of Internal Medicine, Saint Louis University, Saint Louis, Missouri.

Mycobacterium avium-intracellulare complex (MAC) is the most common cause of nontuberculous mycobacterial (NTM) disease in humans. We report a case of esophageal MAC disease in a patient who had allogeneic bone marrow transplant for acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Although pulmonary MAC in immunocompromised host is not uncommon, there are only a few cases of NTM-associated esophageal mass reported. Read More

Respir Investig 2019 Jan 24;57(1):54-59. Epub 2018 Oct 24.

Department of Respiratory Medicine, Kanagawa Cardiovascular and Respiratory Center, 6-16-1 Tomioka-higashi, Kanazawa-ku, Yokohama, 236-0051, Japan.

Background: The incidence of asymptomatic pulmonary Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) disease appears to be increasing. This study aimed to determine the clinical characteristics and examine early outcomes of patients newly diagnosed with MAC disease.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of all 184 patients newly diagnosed with MAC disease between April 2013 and March 2015 at our hospital. Read More

J Clin Pharm Ther 2019 Feb 11;44(1):119-121. Epub 2018 Oct 11.

Department of Pharmacy, University of Miyazaki Hospital, Miyazaki, Japan.

What Is Known And Objective: Multi-drug combinations often make chemotherapy difficult owing to drug-drug interactions (DDIs). We report a rare and difficult-to-treat case due to DDIs between drugs for Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) infection and antiepileptic drugs.

Case Description: A 70-year-old Japanese woman was diagnosed as having pulmonary MAC disease. Read More

Transpl Infect Dis 2019 Feb 24;21(1):e13011. Epub 2018 Oct 24.

Division of Infectious Diseases and HIV Medicine, Department of Medicine, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) colitis is a rare complication of immunosuppression in solid organ transplant (SOT) recipients. Here, we describe a case of disseminated MAC infection with colitis following renal transplantation. Despite common pathways of immunosuppression, SOT recipients and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected patients differ in their typical presentations of MAC infection. Read More

Dig Dis Sci 2018 11;63(11):2858-2863

Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University of New Mexico School of Medicine Medical Center, MSC 10-5550, 1 University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, USA.

Medicine (Baltimore) 2018 Sep;97(38):e12463

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

Vitamin D maintains calcium balance and has immunomodulatory effects. Only few studies have revealed the relationship between vitamin D and its associated factors in Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) infection. This study aimed to investigate the effects of MAC infection on serum vitamin D, human cationic antimicrobial protein 18, its C-terminal 37 amino acid fragment (hCAP18/LL-37) levels, and bone mineral density (BMD). Read More

BMC Health Serv Res 2018 Sep 10;18(1):700. Epub 2018 Sep 10.

Institute for Epidemiology, University Medical Hospital Schleswig-Holstein (Member of the German Center for Lung Research [ARCN]), Kiel, Germany.

Background: Management of nontuberculous mycobacterial lung disease (NTMLD) consists of a long-term multi-drug antibiotic regimen, yet many patients do not achieve culture conversion. We estimated the NTMLD-related direct medical costs in Canada, France, Germany, and the United Kingdom (UK) among refractory patients who were infected with Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC), without concomitant cystic fibrosis, tuberculosis, or HIV.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective observational physician survey of nationally representative samples. Read More

Kyobu Geka 2018 09;71(9):712-715

Department of Thoracic Surgery, Sapporo Central Hospital, Sapporo, Japan.

A 64-year-old man with pulmonary non-tuberculous mycobacteriosis(pulmonary NTM) who had been treated by antituberculous chemotherapy, developed a new nodule of 8 mm in size in the segment 3 of the right upper lobe. The cavity of 4.0 cm in size in the segment 1+2 of the left upper lobe due to Mycobacterium avium infection was preexisted. Read More

J Hosp Infect 2018 Dec 1;100(4):451-455. Epub 2018 Sep 1.

Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Gregorio Marañón, Madrid, Spain; Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañón, Servicio de Microbiología, Madrid, Spain; CIBERES (CB06/06/0058), CIBER Enfermedades Respiratorias, Spain. Electronic address:

Mycobacterium chimaera is involved in a worldwide alert due to contaminated heater-cooler units. A real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR)-based procedure was implemented to survey undetected cases of M. chimaera infection. Read More

J Infect Chemother 2019 Mar 29;25(3):218-221. Epub 2018 Aug 29.

Center for Infectious Diseases and Infection Control, Keio University School of Medicine, Japan. Electronic address:

Background: The optimal duration of antimicrobial therapy for Mycobacterium avium complex lung disease (MAC-LD) is unknown, and recurrence rates are high after treatment discontinuation. Intermittent therapy is recommended for the initial treatment of non-cavitary nodular/bronchiectatic MAC-LD. We hypothesized that intermittent maintenance therapy (IMT) could effectively prevent recurrence after successful treatment of MAC-LD. Read More

Respir Med 2018 09 9;142:1-6. Epub 2018 Jul 9.

Division of Respirology, Department of Medicine, University Health Network, Toronto Western Hospital, 399 Bathurst Street, Toronto, ON, M5T 2S8, Canada; Department of Medicine, University of Toronto, 27 King's College Circle, Toronto, ON, M5S 1A1, Canada. Electronic address:

Background And Objectives: Lung resection in patients with nontuberculous mycobacterial pulmonary disease (NTM-PD) is considered when medical therapy alone fails to provide long term control. Data regarding comparative and long-term outcomes are limited. We aimed to review indications and outcomes of adjuvant lung resection for NTM-PD compared with controls. Read More

Indian J Med Res 2018 06;147(6):594-602

Department of Biochemistry, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education & Research, Chandigarh, India.

Background & Objectives: Mycobacterium avium causes atypical infection in both immunocompetent and immunocompromised individuals. Conventional chemotherapy for M. avium infection is not efficient due to lengthy course of treatment and drug-associated toxic side effects. Read More

Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2018 Oct 24;62(10). Epub 2018 Sep 24.

Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea

complex (MAC) and complex (MABC) comprise the two most important human pathogen groups causing nontuberculous mycobacterial lung disease (NTM-LD). However, there are limited data regarding NTM-LD caused by mixed NTM infections. This study aimed to evaluate the clinical characteristics and treatment outcomes in patients with NTM-LD caused by mixed infection with these two major NTM pathogen groups. Read More

PLoS One 2018 10;13(8):e0202034. Epub 2018 Aug 10.

Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada.

Culture is considered the gold standard for definitive diagnosis of mycobacterial infections. However, consensus about the most suitable culture procedure for isolation of nontuberculous mycobacteria is lacking. The study compared the recoveries of mycobacteria after decontamination of spiked and fresh avian feces with 4% sodium hydroxide (NaOH), 12% sulfuric acid (H2SO4), or 1% cetylperidinium chloride (CPC), with and without mixture of three antibiotics, namely vancomycin (VAN, 100 μg/ml), nalidixic acid (NAL, 100 μg/ml), and amphotericin B (AMB, 100 μg/ml). Read More

Semin Respir Crit Care Med 2018 Jun 2;39(3):351-361. Epub 2018 Aug 2.

Department of Medicine, University of Texas Health Science Center, Tyler, Texas.

complex (MAC) is the most commonly isolated nontuberculous mycobacterial respiratory pathogen worldwide. MAC lung disease is manifested either by fibrocavitary radiographic changes similar to pulmonary tuberculosis or by bronchiectasis with nodular and reticulonodular radiographic changes. This latter form of MAC lung disease, termed "nodular bronchiectatic (NB) MAC lung disease" is the most common form of MAC lung disease in the United States. Read More

J Infect Chemother 2018 Oct 25;24(10):822-827. Epub 2018 Jul 25.

Department of Respiratory Medicine, Toho University Omori Medical Center, 6-11-1 Omori-nishi, Otaku, Tokyo, 143-8540, Japan.

Background: We occasionally treat patients with clinically suspected pulmonary Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) infection and negative MAC culture on bronchoscopy.

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the usefulness of bronchoscopy in patients with suspected MAC lung disease with nodular bronchiectasis on chest computed tomography (CT) and to clarify the clinical characteristics of these patients.

Methods: We reviewed the records of 71 patients with clinically suspected pulmonary MAC infection on chest CT who underwent bronchoscopy. Read More

Diagn Microbiol Infect Dis 2018 Dec 27;92(4):309-310. Epub 2018 Jun 27.

Department of Medical Microbiology, Radboud University Medical Center, PO Box 9101, 6500, HB, Nijmegen, the Netherlands.

Diagnostic mycobacteriology often involves shipping of samples to centralized laboratories. Using two quantitative culture techniques, we show that 7 days storage of sputum samples at room temperature or 4 °C does not affect the number of viable Mycobacterium avium complex bacteria. Storage at room temperature increases the chance of contamination. Read More

Comp Immunol Microbiol Infect Dis 2018 Apr 14;57:62-68. Epub 2018 Jun 14.

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

Mycobacterial infections in pigs are caused particularly by the Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) and these infections lead to great economic losses mainly within the countries with high pork meat production. The importance of the MAC infections in humans is rising because of its higher prevalence and also higher mortality rates particularly in advanced countries. In addition, treatment of the MAC infections in humans tends to be complicated because of its increasing resistance to antimicrobial agents. Read More

Ther Adv Infect Dis 2018 Jul 2;5(4):69-75. Epub 2018 May 2.

Department of Gastroenterology, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India.

Background: Chylous ascites is an uncommon presentation of mycobacterial infection.

Methods: We report three cases of tubercular chylous ascites, and in addition, we performed a systematic review of the published literature for the clinical presentation, treatment, and outcomes of mycobacterial chylous ascites. We followed the PRISMA guidelines for the systematic review. Read More

BMC Pulm Med 2018 Jul 13;18(1):114. Epub 2018 Jul 13.

Center for Infectious Diseases and Infection Control, Keio University School of Medicine, 35 Shinanomachi Shinjuku, Tokyo, 160-8582, Japan.

Background: Pulmonary Mycobacterium avium complex (pMAC) disease is a chronic, slowly progressive disease. The aim of the present study was to determine the association of six-minute walk test (6MWT) parameters with pulmonary function and the health-related quality of life (HRQL) in patients with pMAC disease.

Methods: This cross-sectional study included adult patients with pMAC and was conducted at Keio University Hospital. Read More

Zhonghua Jie He He Hu Xi Za Zhi 2018 Jul;41(7):539-543

National Clinical Laboratory on Tuberculosis, Beijing Key Laboratory for Drug Resistant Tuberculosis Research, Beijing Chest Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing Tuberculosis and Thoracic Tumor Institute, Beijing 101149, China.

To investigate the antimicrobial susceptibility and genotyping of . A total of 150 . isolates were collected. Read More

Ann Otol Rhinol Laryngol 2018 Oct 2;127(10):726-730. Epub 2018 Jul 2.

2 Department of Otolaryngology, Children's Mercy Hospital, Kansas City, Missouri, USA.

Objectives: To describe a safe and effective treatment for endobronchial Mycobacterium avium complex.

Methods: Case report and literature review.

Results: We present a case of endobronchial M. Read More

Rev Peru Med Exp Salud Publica 2018 Jan-Mar;35(1):160-161

Unidad de Infectología, Hospital Nacional Guillermo Almenara Irigoyen. Lima, Perú.

Am J Case Rep 2018 Jun 7;19:656-662. Epub 2018 Jun 7.

Department of Respiratory Medicine, Kyorin University School of Medicine, Mitaka, Tokyo, Japan.

BACKGROUND Rheumatoid arthritis tenosynovitis is difficult to discriminate from non-tuberculous tenosynovitis on the basis of radiological and pathological findings. CASE REPORT A 74-year-old woman with a 4-year history of rheumatoid arthritis was referred to our hospital to undergo treatment for uncontrollable tenderness and swelling in her right third metacarpophalangeal joint, right wrist, and left knee joint. In the previous year, she underwent surgery at a local hospital for the swelling in her right metacarpophalangeal joint, the information of which was not known precisely, but the swelling subsided in due course after an operation. Read More

BMJ Case Rep 2018 May 26;2018. Epub 2018 May 26.

Internal Medicine, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, North Chicago, Illinois, USA.

Allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (ABPA) most often develops in patients with asthma or cystic fibrosis. We present a 91-year-old non-asthmatic patient with pre-existing Mycobacteriumavium complex (MAC) infection who got diagnosed with ABPA. Treatment of the two conditions can be challenging as immunosuppression with steroids for treatment of ABPA may exacerbate the underlying MAC infection. Read More

BMC Infect Dis 2018 05 22;18(1):235. Epub 2018 May 22.

Division of Infectious Diseases and International Health, University of Virginia Health System, P.O. Box 801379, Charlottesville, VA, 22908-1361, USA.

Background: Mycobacterium Avium Complex (MAC) is an established microbiologic cause of pulmonary disease, lymphadenitis, and disseminated disease in cases of advanced immune suppression. However, MAC manifesting as vertebral osteomyelitis is less common, and is particularly rare in the absence of Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS). Prompt diagnosis of MAC vertebral osteomyelitis is challenging, but necessary to prevent serious morbidity or mortality. Read More

Intern Med 2018 Oct 18;57(20):3041-3045. Epub 2018 May 18.

Second Department of Internal Medicine, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Japan.

A 63-year-old woman presented with a fever, eruption, and sterile pyuria. A cystoscopic examination revealed submucosal nodular lesions in the trigone of the bladder, and a biopsy specimen showed epithelioid cell granulomas in the lamina propria of the bladder. Mycobacterium avium grew in the urine culture. Read More

Tuberculosis (Edinb) 2018 05 3;110:7-14. Epub 2018 Mar 3.

Department of Internal Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC. Electronic address:

Background: Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC)-lung disease (LD) is increasing in patients without human immunodeficiency virus infection. However, data on host vulnerability to MAC-related immune responses, and in particular the interleukin (IL)-23/IL-17 axis, are lacking.

Methods: We enrolled 50 patients with MAC-LD, 25 age-matched patients with tuberculosis (TB) and 25 controls. Read More

Biomed Environ Sci 2018 Apr;31(4):290-299

State Key Laboratory for Infectious Diseases Prevention and Control, Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, National Institute for Communicable Disease Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing 102206, China.

Objective: Macrolide susceptibility and drug resistance mechanisms of clinical non-tuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) isolates were preliminarily investigated for more accurate diagnosis and treatment of the infection in China.

Methods: Four macrolides, including clarithromycin (CLAR), azithromycin (AZM), roxithromycin (ROX), and erythromycin (ERY), were used to test the drug susceptibility of 310 clinical NTM isolates from six provinces of China with the broth microdilution method. Two resistance mechanisms, 23S rRNA and erm, were analyzed with nucleotide sequence analysis. Read More

J Cutan Med Surg 2018 Sep/Oct;22(5):479-483. Epub 2018 May 17.

3 Division of Diagnostic and Applied Microbiology, Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Alberta and the Alberta Provincial Public Health Laboratory, WC Mackenzie Health Sciences Centre, Edmonton, AB, Canada.

Background: Cutaneous infections caused by nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) occur infrequently. Nonetheless, the incidence of NTM infections is reported to be increasing. In Canada, cutaneous NTM infections have not been well described. Read More

Respir Med 2018 05 12;138:1-6. Epub 2018 Mar 12.

Center for Infectious Diseases and Infection Control, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan. Electronic address:

Rationale: Little is known about the role of Aspergillus precipitating antibody (APAb) in patients with Mycobacterium avium complex lung disease (MAC-LD).

Objectives: We investigated the clinical characteristics of patients with MAC-LD positive for APAb.

Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study targeting patients with MAC-LD. Read More

Int J Surg Pathol 2018 Oct 2;26(7):629-634. Epub 2018 May 2.

1 Department of Pathology, University of Utah School of Medicine and Associated Regional and University Pathologists Laboratories, Salt Lake City, UT, USA.

Mycobacterial spindle cell pseudotumor (MSP) is a rare benign spindle cell lesion containing acid-fact mycobacteria. These lesions are most commonly identified in the lymph nodes, skin, spleen, or bone marrow of immunocompromised patients and only rarely involve the lungs. We report 3 cases of pulmonary MSP, which include 2 patients who are known to be HIV-positive. Read More

J Infect Chemother 2018 Aug 26;24(8):654-659. Epub 2018 Apr 26.

Department of Respiratory Medicine, Ohara Healthcare Foundation, Kurashiki Central Hospital, Kurashiki, Japan.

Background: The number of patients with pulmonary nontuberculous mycobacterial disease complicated by chronic pulmonary aspergillosis (CPA) has been increasing. Additionally, CPA is reportedly associated with mortality in patients with Mycobacterium avium complex lung disease (MAC-LD). In the present study, we aimed to identify risk factors for developing CPA and stratify the risk for CPA development in patients with MAC-LD. Read More

BMJ Case Rep 2018 Apr 7;2018. Epub 2018 Apr 7.

Department of Internal Medicine, Hospital de Cascais Dr. José de Almeida, Alcabideche, Cascais, Portugal.

Ghana Med J 2017 Sep;51(3):143-147

Lousiana State University Health Science Center. Shreveport. LA, USA.

In pulmonary medicine, identical pathogenesis due to varied etiological agents can present with indistinguishable clinical presentation, and produce similar laboratory and radiological changes. The importance of eliciting detailed occupational and social history from patients cannot be stressed enough when dealing with patients suffering from diffuse parenchymal lung diseases. Hot Tub Lung(HTL) is a perplexing pulmonary disease attributed to the Mycobacterium Avium-intracellulare Complex (MAC). Read More

QJM 2018 Jul;111(7):501-502

From the Department of Respiratory Medicine.

Transpl Infect Dis 2018 Aug 10;20(4):e12890. Epub 2018 Apr 10.

Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Ottawa Hospital General Campus, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada.

We report the first case of disseminated Mycobacterium colombiense infection in a solid organ transplant recipient. Co-infection with Cryptococcus neoformans led to fatal multisystem organ failure. We review the pathogen and host factors contributing to these opportunistic infections. Read More

Indian J Pathol Microbiol 2018 Jan-Mar;61(1):141-142

Department of Pediatrics, Pediatric TB Clinic, B. J. Wadia Hospital for Children, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India.

Nontuberculous mycobacterium (NTM) species are mycobacterial species other than those belonging to the Mycobacterium Tuberculosis complex and Mycobacterium leprae. There are very few reports of NTM in immunocompetent children causing empyema. In this article, we report a 9-year-old immunocompetent girl who presented with Mycobacterium avium-intracellulare empyema. Read More