Incidence possibility of pulmonary Mycobacterium abscessus infection in an endemic area: onion diagram with overlapping analysis

Abstract

Background Mycobacterium abscessus is a new emerging mycobacterial infection with drug resistance problem. An endemic area of this infection is Thailand, a tropical country in Indochina. The incidence of this infection is not well estimated. Materials and methods In the present study, the authors reappraised on the available epidemiological data in an endemic area aiming at finding incidence possibility of pulmonary M. abscessus infection. The path probability assessment was done, and the onion diagram was finally constructed. In additional, overlapping analysis was also performed. Results The incidence possibility of pulmonary M. abscessus infection in this endemic area is equal to 0.15% of overall suspected cases of nontuberculous mycobacterial infections. Conclusion In our setting, there is considerably high possibility of pulmonary M. abscessus infection among suspected cases of nontuberculous mycobacterial infections.