Abstract
To achieve a comprehensive understanding of the characteristics of patients with non-tuberculous mycobacteria (NTM), patients with NTM between January 2016 and June 2019 were recruited from a primary hospital. NTM were identified based on the MBP64 protein assay. The clinical records and laboratory assay results were retrospectively reviewed. A total of 204 patients with NTM were included in the final analysis. The patients with multiple isolations were more likely accompanied with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) (p = 0.029) and arthritis (p = 0.049), but showed a lower percentage of positive T-spot results (p = 0.022). In addition, patients with multiple isolations showed a higher rate of positive acid-fast staining results and their symptom duration was more likely longer than 30 days (p = 0.019). Patients with a positive response in T-spot assay showed a higher proportion of nodular manifestation on computed tomography (CT) than those with a negative response. Compared with male patients with NTM, female patients showed lower rates of positive acid-fast staining results (p = 0.03), but were more likely accompanied with COPD (p < 0.0001). The positive acid-fast staining results were closely associated with pulmonary cavities and tuberculosis antibody. Patients with different NTM isolation frequencies were closely associated with coexisting diseases and examination results.
Highlights
As environmental microbes, non-tuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) can colonize mainly in the lungs and other sites by direct exposure, causing diseases when the balance between the host defense and bacteria is disrupted
The characteristics of patients with NTM were retrospectively analyzed based on the data from a primary hospital located in central Zhejiang Province, in an attempt to determine the potential risk factors associated with NTM diseases
The limitations of this study include the possibility of colonization and infection both in patients with single isolations. This leads to a difficulty in establishing an association between the isolated strains and the diseases the patient suffers; this is a common phenomenon in China where NTM infections have not been paid enough attention, especially in primary hospitals and rural regions
Summary
Non-tuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) can colonize mainly in the lungs and other sites by direct exposure, causing diseases when the balance between the host defense and bacteria is disrupted. Occupation Smoke history Tuberculosis history Surgeon history Acid fast assay CT Cavities Tuberculosis antibody COPD Bronchiectasis Diabetes Tumor Diagnosis when discharged from hospital Duration of symptoms (days) Among the laboratory assay results used for tuberculosis, the patients with multiple isolations showed a significantly higher frequency of positive acid-fast staining results (p = 0.01), but showed a lower percentage of positive T-spot results (p = 0.022).
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