ABSTRACT
Objective To explore the epidemic situation of nontuberculous Mycobacteria in both Yuexiu and Zhuhai districts. Methods Mycobacterium tuberculosis culture and strain identification were conducted in suspected smear-positive tuberculosis patients who had visited our clinics at Yuexiu and Haizhu districts in Guangzhou during the period of 2010 to 2012. Results 2 014 sputum samples were identified as NTM and MTC, 1 630 samples were MTC (80.9%), and 384 samples were NTM (19.1%). The isolated rate for NTM from 2010 to 2012 was 17.6%, 17.1% and 21.2%, respectively. 79 strains of 384 NTM were identified; the rapid-growing mycobacterium was 50.6%, and the slow-growing mycobacterium was 49.4%. Conclusions The sputum-isolated rate of NTM for the suspected tuberculosis patients was 19.1% in Yuexiu and Haizhu districts in Guangzhou. For the smear-positive pulmonary tuberculosis patients who respond to treatment poorly , we should pay attention to NTM lung disease.