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Acta Neuropathol Commun 2020 May 19;8(1):73. Epub 2020 May 19.

Department of Pathology & Cell Biology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, 10032, USA.

Infections by opportunistic non-tuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) are rising in global incidence. One emerging, slowly growing NTM is Mycobacterium haemophilum, which can cause skin, lung, bone, and soft tissue infections in immunocompromised patients as well as lymphadenitis in immunocompetent individuals. Detection of this microorganism is difficult using conventional culture-based methods and few reports have documented involvement of this pathogen within the central nervous system (CNS). Read More

Transpl Infect Dis 2020 May 9:e13315. Epub 2020 May 9.

Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand.

Non-tuberculous mycobacteria are ubiquitous pathogens causing infections in immunocompromised patients. Here, we describe a kidney transplant recipient who developed skin and soft tissue infection by Mycobacterium haemophilum, complicated by tenosynovitis and fluid collection, following an injury sustained to her right foot. Her immunosuppressant dose was reduced, and she underwent prolonged antimicrobial therapy followed by surgical debridement with a favorable outcome. Read More

Dig Liver Dis 2020 Apr 24. Epub 2020 Apr 24.

School of Medicine, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan; Endoscopy Center, Changhua Christian Hospital, 500 Nanhsiao Street, Changhua, Taiwan. Electronic address:

J Fish Dis 2020 Jun 14;43(6):637-650. Epub 2020 Apr 14.

Zebrafish International Resource Center, Eugene, Oregon.

The use of zebrafish (Danio rerio) in biomedical research has expanded at a tremendous rate over the last two decades. Along with increases in laboratories using this model, we are discovering new and important diseases. We review here the important pathogens and diseases based on some 20 years of research and findings from our diagnostic service at the NIH-funded Zebrafish International Resource Center. Read More

J Clin Rheumatol 2020 Apr 2. Epub 2020 Apr 2.

From the Department of Dermatology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University.

Pediatr Infect Dis J 2020 Mar 30. Epub 2020 Mar 30.

Gallipoli Medical Research Institute, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia.

Background: Nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) are ubiquitous in the environment and a well-known cause of lymphadenitis, skin and soft tissue infections. The aim of this study was to evaluate the epidemiology of extrapulmonary pediatric NTM infections occurring from 2000 to 2017 in Queensland, Australia.

Methods: All cases of NTM and TB are notifiable under the Queensland Public Health Act (2005) and associated regulations (2005). Read More

IDCases 2020 22;19:e00674. Epub 2019 Nov 22.

University of Colorado School of Medicine 12700 E. 19th Avenue, Mail Stop B168, Aurora, CO 80045, USA.

is a slow growing acid-fast bacillus (AFB) in the nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) group. typically causes cervicofacial lymphadenitis in children, cutaneous diseases, septic arthritis and osteomyelitis. However, it rarely causes isolated spinal cord disease. Read More

Medicine (Baltimore) 2020 Mar;99(10):e19355

Division of Dermatology, Faculty of Medicine Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand.

A remarkable increase in the prevalence of cutaneous nontuberculous mycobacterial (NTM) infection has occurred worldwide. However, updated data regarding cutaneous NTM infection in Thailand is limited.This study aim to describe the clinical manifestations, pathogenic organism, and prognostic factors of cutaneous NTM infections among patients living in Thailand. Read More

Indian J Dermatol Venereol Leprol 2020 Mar-Apr;86(2):181-184

Department of Dermatovenereology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.

J Clin Rheumatol 2019 Dec 24. Epub 2019 Dec 24.

Division of Division of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA.

Rev Inst Med Trop Sao Paulo 2019 20;61:e71. Epub 2019 Dec 20.

Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Laboratório de Biologia Molecular Aplicada a Micobactérias, Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Mycobacterium haemophilum is a nontuberculous mycobacterium that causes localized or disseminated disease, mainly in immunocompromised hosts. We report the case of a 35-year-old HIV-infected woman who presented with several enlarging cutaneous lesions over the arms and legs. Histopathological examination revealed the diagnosis of a cutaneous mycobacterial disease. Read More

J Korean Med Sci 2019 Dec 2;34(46):e302. Epub 2019 Dec 2.

Department of Pediatrics, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seongnam, Korea.

Background: Nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) lymphadenitis is an under-recognized entity, and data of the true burden in children are limited. Without a high index of suspicion, diagnosis may be delayed and microbiological detection is challenging. Here, we report a cluster of NTM lymphadenitis experienced in Korean children. Read More

Cutis 2019 Oct;104(4):238-241

Southwest Skin Specialists, Phoenix, Arizona, USA.

Mycobacterium haemophilum is a nontuberculous organism that commonly manifests as cutaneous lesions and subcutaneous nodules in immunosuppressed adults. Because M haemophilum infection is rare, the epidemiology, reservoir, and mode of transmission remain largely unknown. Infection presents a challenge to the dermatology community because it is infrequently suspected and commonly misidentified, resulting in delayed diagnosis. Read More

BMJ Case Rep 2019 Nov 21;12(11). Epub 2019 Nov 21.

Internal Medicine, Rush University, Chicago, Illinois, USA.

is a rare pathogen, predominately present in the immunocompromised population. It is especially studied in HIV and haematological malignancy patients. Given its unique living conditions, it is often difficult to establish its diagnosis, but it is often suspected by its classic association with ulcerating skin findings. Read More

Cutis 2019 Sep;104(3):E7-E10

Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.

Emerg Infect Dis 2019 09;25(9):1648-1652

Mycobacterium haemophilum is a nontuberculous mycobacterium that can infect immunocompromised patients. Because of special conditions required for its culture, this bacterium is rarely reported and there are scarce data for long-term outcomes. We conducted a retrospective study at Siriraj Hospital, Bangkok, Thailand, during January 2012-September 2017. Read More

Rheumatol Int 2019 Oct 27;39(10):1783-1787. Epub 2019 Jul 27.

Division of Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, 2 Wanglang Road, Bangkok Noi, Bangkok, 10700, Thailand.

To investigate the clinical manifestations and outcomes of musculoskeletal (MSK) nontuberculous mycobacterium (NTM) infections. This study was a retrospective cohort study using the Siriraj Hospital database from 2005 to 2017. Enrolled were all patients aged 15 or older who had an MSK infection with NTM identified in synovial fluid, pus, or tissue by an acid-fast bacilli stain, culture, or polymerase chain reaction. Read More

Surg Infect (Larchmt) 2019 Sep 8;20(6):492-498. Epub 2019 May 8.

2School of Medicine, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan, Republic of China.

The incidence of non-tuberculous mycobacterial (NTM) infections of the skin, soft tissue, and musculoskeletal system (SSTI) has increased over the past two decades, however, relatively few studies have documented the reasons for the reported increase. Specifically, no standardized treatment protocols have been adopted, therefore, clinical prognosis of the patients with NTM SSTI has thus far remained uncertain. In our study, we sought to identify risk factors for treatment failure in southern Taiwan. Read More

J Dermatol 2019 09 2;46(9):e319-e320. Epub 2019 Apr 2.

Dermatology Department of Integrated Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, Suita, Japan.

J Clin Microbiol 2019 02 30;57(2). Epub 2019 Jan 30.

Department of Mycobacteriology, Leprosy Research Center, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Tokyo, Japan

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

Iran J Kidney Dis 2018 Oct;12(5):312-314

Infectious Diseases and Tropical Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.

Mycobacterium haemophilum is a fastidious nontuberculosis Mycobacterium that must be considered in the differential diagnosis of infections in immunocompromised patients. Mycobacterium haemophilum typically is a pathogen of the cutaneous or subcutaneous tissue and also presents as septic arthritis, osteomyelitis, pulmonary disease, and lymphadenitis. We report a 32-year-old man with past medical history of kidney transplantation, endocarditis, gastrointestinal bleeding, and hypertension, complaining of multiple painful nodular lesions since 3 months earlier. Read More

Zebrafish 2019 02 24;16(1):77-86. Epub 2018 Oct 24.

1 Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom.

In 2017, the zebrafish unit at University of Glasgow experienced a detrimental outbreak of pathogenic bacterium, Mycobacterium haemophilum. The presence of other bacterial species was also confirmed by bacteriology growth in the same unit. The affected individuals composed of a wild-origin parental population sourced from India and their F1 offspring generation. Read More

mSphere 2018 10 3;3(5). Epub 2018 Oct 3.

Institut des Agent infectieux, Hôpital de la Croix Rousse, Hospices Civils de Lyon, Lyon, France

Nodular thelitis is a chronic enzootic infection affecting dairy cows and goats. The causative agent was recently shown to be related to the leprosy-causing bacilli and In this study, the genome of this pathogen was sequenced and analyzed. Phylogenomic analyses confirmed that the pathogen present in nodular thelitis and tuberculoid scrotitis is a distinct species related to the leprosy bacilli and Because the pathogen was originally isolated from a bovine udder, it was named "" The genome of "" is only 3. Read More

Dermatol Online J 2017 Sep 15;23(9). Epub 2017 Sep 15.

University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts.

A 61-year-old immunosuppressed renal transplant patient with inflammatory bowel disease presented with tender pink nodules on the trunk and extremities. An initial biopsy was suggestive of metastatic Crohn disease, but after disease persistence, a second biopsy revealed disseminated Mycobacterium haemophilum. Atypical mycobacterial infections should be considered in immunosuppressed patients. Read More

BMC Infect Dis 2018 02 7;18(1):70. Epub 2018 Feb 7.

Department of Ophthalmology, Faculty of Medicine, Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, 2 Wanglang Road, Bangkok Noi, Bangkok, 10700, Thailand.

Background: Although atypical mycobacteria had been increasingly found in various ocular infections in the past decades, a slow-growing Mycobacterium haemophilum (M. haemophilum) was scarcely reported. Similar to tuberculous infection, the presentation can masquerade as low-grade granulomatous intraocular inflammation with partial response to corticosteroids. Read More

J Vis Exp 2017 12 8(130). Epub 2017 Dec 8.

Biological Research Facility, The Francis Crick Institute.

Health monitoring systems are developed and used in zebrafish research facilities because pathogens of Danio rerio such as Aeromonas hydrophila, Mycobacterium spp., and Pseudocapillaria tomentosa have the potential to impair animal welfare and research. The fish are typically analyzed post mortem to detect microbes. Read More

J Clin Microbiol 2018 01 26;56(1). Epub 2017 Dec 26.

Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, New York, USA

J Clin Microbiol 2018 01 26;56(1). Epub 2017 Dec 26.

Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, New York, USA

Indian J Nephrol 2017 Nov-Dec;27(6):478-481

Department of Nephrology, Yashoda Hospitals, Secunderabad, Telangana, India.

A 71-year-old male, a renal allograft recipient, presented to us with a history of fever and right palm swelling. He had a history of fever 7 years back when he was treated with antitubercular treatment (ATT). Three years back, he was diagnosed to have gout and he was started on allopurinol. Read More

Pediatr Int 2017 Dec 4;59(12):1279-1281. Epub 2017 Dec 4.

Department of Pediatrics, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka, Japan.

Ned Tijdschr Geneeskd 2017 ;161:D1613

AMC, afd. MKA-chirurgie, Amsterdam.

Background: The differential diagnosis in a child with a swelling in the neck is broad. Chronic lymphadenopathy in children quite often leads to extensive blood tests. Cervicofacial non-tuberculous mycobacterial (NTM) lymphadenitis is, however, not revealed by blood tests. Read More

Open Forum Infect Dis 2017 23;4(3):ofx165. Epub 2017 Sep 23.

Zuckerberg San Francisco General, University of California.

J Dermatol 2018 Jan 3;45(1):64-66. Epub 2017 Aug 3.

Dermatology, Department of Internal Related, Faculty of Medicine, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine, Kobe, Japan.

Mycobacterium haemophilum is a slow-growing, non-tuberculous mycobacteria that causes cutaneous infection. We describe a case of cutaneous infection in a 68-year-old Japanese man with polymyositis. This was caused by M. Read More

J Clin Tuberc Other Mycobact Dis 2017 Aug 28;8:26-32. Epub 2017 Jun 28.

Division of Infectious Diseases, Mayo Clinic, 200 First St., Rochester, MN 55905, United States.

is an uncommonly encountered acid-fast staining bacillus (AFB) that can cause a broad range of infections. We describe a tertiary care center's experience with infections identified from 2000 to 2015. Ten adult patients were identified with infections, and most had immunocompromising conditions. Read More

Semin Diagn Pathol 2017 Jul 12;34(4):332-339. Epub 2017 Apr 12.

Staff, Pathology and Clinical Microbiology, Cleveland Clinic, 9500 Euclid Avenue/LL2-2, Cleveland, OH 44195, United States. Electronic address:

The importance of mycobacteria as opportunistic pathogens, particularly members of the M. avium complex (MAC), in patients with progressive HIV infection was recognized early in the AIDS epidemic. It took longer to appreciate the global impact and devastation that would result from the deadly synergy that exists between HIV and M. Read More

J Am Assoc Lab Anim Sci 2017 Mar;56(2):131-141

Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon, Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, College of Veterinary Medicine, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon;, Email:

Mycobacterium spp. infections are common in zebrafish kept in research facilities. These comorbidities can substantially modulate the responses of these fish to external and internal stimuli. Read More

Int J Mycobacteriol 2016 Dec 9;5 Suppl 1:S236. Epub 2016 Nov 9.

Pediatric Respiratory Diseases Research Center, National Research Institute of Tuberculosis and Lung Diseases, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. Electronic address:

Introduction: Mycobacterium haemophilum is a slow-growing nontuberculous mycobacterium (NTM) that can cause ulcerating cutaneous or subcutaneous nodular skin lesions in immunocompromised and immunocompetent patients. Acid-fast staining cannot distinguish NTM from M. tuberculosis; culturing at two temperatures with iron-supplemented media and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) are needed for optimal detection of M. Read More

Microbiol Spectr 2016 11;4(6)

Infectious Diseases Section, VA Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68105.

The list of clinically important slow-growing nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) continues to expand as new species are identified and older ones are found to be pathogenic. Based on pigment production, the strains may be classified as photochromogenic, scotochromogenic, or unpigmented. Some of these organisms are not newly discovered but have heretofore been considered virtually nonpathogenic. Read More

BMJ Case Rep 2016 Oct 31;2016. Epub 2016 Oct 31.

Medical Clinic, University Hospital Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany.

Opportunistic infections are a major concern in renal and transplant medicine. We present the case of a renal transplant recipient with a generalised Mycobacterium haemophilum infection after an increase in immunosuppressive therapy and treatment with a tumour necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) inhibitor. Infection involved skin and soft tissue, joints and bones, as well as the renal transplant with an interstitial nephritis. Read More

Transpl Infect Dis 2017 Feb 16;19(1). Epub 2016 Dec 16.

Department of Pharmacy, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, FL, USA.

Nontuberculous mycobacterial infections can often occur in individuals with adequate immune function. Such infections typically have cutaneous involvement and are caused by rapidly growing mycobacterium. Other nontuberculous mycobacteria species, like Mycobacterium haemophilum, almost always present as opportunistic infections occurring in severely immunocompromised hosts. Read More

PLoS One 2016 17;11(10):e0164138. Epub 2016 Oct 17.

Centre for Infectious Diseases and Microbiology Laboratory Services, ICPMR - Pathology West, Westmead Hospital, Westmead, NSW, Australia.

Accurate identification of slowly growing nontuberculous mycobacteria (SG-NTM) of clinical significance remains problematic. This study evaluated a novel method of SG-NTM identification by amplification of the mycobacterial 16S-23S rRNA internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region followed by resolution of amplified fragments by sequencer-based capillary gel electrophoresis (SCGE). Fourteen American Type Culture Collection (ATCC) strains and 103 clinical/environmental isolates (total n = 24 species) of SG-NTM were included. Read More

J Vet Diagn Invest 2016 Nov 3;28(6):718-721. Epub 2016 Oct 3.

Departments of Small Animal Clinical Sciences (Donnelly, Wellehan), University of Florida, College of Veterinary Medicine, Gainesville, FLInfection Diseases and Pathology (Waltzek), University of Florida, College of Veterinary Medicine, Gainesville, FLLarge Animal Clinical Sciences (NI Stacy), University of Florida, College of Veterinary Medicine, Gainesville, FLGumbo Limbo Nature Center, Boca Raton, FL (Chadam)National Marine Fisheries Service, Office of Protected Resources at University of Florida, Gainesville, FL (BA Stacy)

Mycobacteriosis is infrequently reported in free-ranging sea turtles. Nontuberculous Mycobacterium haemophilum was identified as the causative agent of disseminated mycobacteriosis in a juvenile leatherback turtle (Dermochelys coriacea) that was found stranded on the Atlantic coast of Florida. Disseminated granulomatous inflammation was identified histologically, most notably affecting the nervous system. Read More

Zebrafish 2016 07 16;13 Suppl 1:S132-7. Epub 2016 May 16.

Mill Hill Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute , London, United Kingdom .

Considering the numbers of zebrafish held in the laboratories, it is relevant to develop some tools to monitor the health of the animals, as well as their biotope. Environmental samples can be used to detect aquatic pathogens. Comprehensive health monitoring would thus seek pathogens in three dimensions of the animals and microbes' habitat: the fish, the sludge, and the water. Read More

Acta Reumatol Port 2015 Oct-Dec;40(4):388-9

Pediatr Dermatol 2016 Mar-Apr;33(2):196-9. Epub 2016 Jan 29.

Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Amstelland Hospital Amstelveen and Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

Background: Nontuberculous mycobacteria rarely cause facial skin lesions in immunocompetent children.

Aim: I describe the clinical features and treatment of nontuberculous mycobacteria facial lesions.

Materials And Methods: The diagnosis of a facial nontuberculous mycobacteria infection was established using polymerase chain reaction. Read More

mBio 2015 Nov 17;6(6):e01313-15. Epub 2015 Nov 17.

Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, USA Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, USA

Unlabelled: Mycobacterium haemophilum is an emerging pathogen associated with a variety of clinical syndromes, most commonly skin infections in immunocompromised individuals. M. haemophilum exhibits a unique requirement for iron supplementation to support its growth in culture, but the basis for this property and how it may shape pathogenesis is unclear. Read More

Minn Med 2015 Aug;98(8):43-4

Intern Med J 2015 Oct;45(10):1073-6

Department of Infectious Diseases, Box Hill Hospital, Eastern Health, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.

Disseminated non-tuberculous mycobacterial (NTM) infection is rare in immunocompetent adults. Anti-interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) autoantibodies have recently been associated with NTM infections, particularly in patients of Asian ethnicity. We describe a case of disseminated Mycobacterium haemophilum skeletal infection due to anti IFN-γ autoantibodies in a 71-year-old Cambodian man. Read More

Dermatol Reports 2015 May 15;7(2):5712. Epub 2015 Jun 15.

Department of Dermatology, National Skin Centre , Singapore.

Non-tuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) are a group of environmental pathogens, which cause a broad spectrum of disease. The incidence of NTM infection is increasing, especially in immunocompromized patients. The past three decades also saw a rapid increase in the incidence of NTM infection involving otherwise healthy subjects. Read More