Clinical features of infections caused by new nontuberculous mycobacteria, part I

Abstract

Many of the mycobacterial species described in the past decade have been involved in human disease. This issue discusses the most frequent pathologies, including respiratory infections in elderly people, cervical lymphadenitis in children, and localized post-traumatic and post-surgical infections at various body sites. Also discussed are disseminated infections, which were frequent in AIDS patients several years ago but are now rare, with the prevalence probably higher in immunocompromised HIV-negative persons. Part II of this article describes Mycobacterium species associated with sepsis and other dieases. No substantial differences exist in the number of cases in which slow and rapid growers are involved in disease, with the former more commonly responsible for pulmonary infections and lymphadenitis and the latter preferentially affecting bones, joints, skin, and soft tissues.