Diagnosing and treating Mycobacterium kansasii.

ABSTRACT: This article describes an 18-year-old immunocompetent patient who developed Mycobacterium kansasii, manifested with shortness of breath and a cavitary lung lesion seen on radiograph. Initial sputum smears were negative; however, after 2 weeks, the cultures grew M. kansasii and the patient was started on an antimycobacterial regimen.