Epidemiology of nontuberculous mycobacterial pulmonary disease in Europe and Japan by Delphi estimation.

BACKGROUND: Nontuberculous mycobacterial pulmonary disease (NTM-PD) is an emerging opportunistic infection, but basic epidemiological data are lacking in most regions. We have investigated epidemiology and diagnostic and treatment practices in five EU countries (United Kingdom, Spain, Italy, France, Germany; EU5) and Japan. STUDY DESIGN: and methods: Annual prevalence in each country was established using a 2-round Delphi method in combination with a regional prevalence-estimation model that incorporated data obtained from a blinded physician screening survey (3154 physicians) and a real-world NTM-PD treating-physician/patient-chart observational study (619 physicians - 1429 patient charts). RESULTS: The annual prevalence of NTM-PD was estimated at 6.2/100,000 in the EU5 and 24.9/100,000 in Japan. Overall prevalence between the EU5 was comparable, while differences in regional prevalence were found to be pronounced in France and The United Kingdom. Regional differences were also found in Japan, with the majority of cases in Chubu and Kanto regions. CONCLUSION: This new methodology for obtaining often missing regional-level epidemiological data reveals dramatic variations in NTM-PD annual prevalence and helps pinpoint areas that may merit special preventative and treatment focus.

Geographic Distribution of Nontuberculous Mycobacteria Isolated from Clinical Specimens: A Systematic Review.

Isolation frequency of nontuberculous mycobacterial (NTM) differs per region. Differences in isolation frequency as well as frequencies in clinical relevance are relevant for daily clinical practice. We conducted a systematic review, searching PubMed to assess these differences. Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) is the most frequently isolated species and the majority of MAC isolates are causative agents of clinically relevant disease, that is, the patient ultimately meets American Thoracic Society/Infectious Disease Society of America diagnostic criteria for NTM pulmonary disease. Differences in isolation frequency between MAC species are seen in different continents. Another species that shows a remarkable difference in isolation frequency is M. abscessus complex, which is common in Asia and Oceania, in contrast to Europe, North America, and South America. Furthermore, differences in isolation frequency are seen between different continents, and also between regions or cities. These differences might drive local epidemiology of NTM pulmonary disease, and knowledge of the local situation is thus essential for daily clinical practice. To be fully able to assess this problem, larger multicenter studies with uniform microbiological methods are needed.

High Rates of Non-Tuberculous Mycobacteria Isolation in Mozambican Children with Presumptive Tuberculosis

Non-tuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) can cause disease which can be clinically and radiologically undistinguishable from tuberculosis (TB), posing a diagnostic and therapeutic challenge in high TB settings. We aim to describe the prevalence of NTM isolation and its clinical characteristics in children from rural Mozambique. This study was part of a community TB incidence study in children <3 years of age. Gastric aspirate and induced sputum sampling were performed in all presumptive TB cases and processed for smear testing using fluorochrome staining and LED Microscopy, liquid and solid culture, and molecular identification by GenoType® Mycobacterium CM/AS assays. NTM were isolated in 26.3% (204/775) of children. The most prevalent NTM species was M. intracellulare (N = 128), followed by M. scrofulaceum (N = 35) and M. fortuitum (N = 9). Children with NTM were significantly less symptomatic and less likely to present with an abnormal chest radiograph than those with M. tuberculosis. NTM were present in 21.6% of follow-up samples and 25 children had the same species isolated from ≥2 separate samples. All were considered clinically insignificant and none received specific treatment. Children with NTM isolates had equal all cause mortality and likelihood of TB treatment as those with negative culture although they were less likely to have TB ruled out.NTM isolation is frequent in presumptive TB cases but was not clinically significant in this patient cohort. However, it can contribute to TB misdiagnosis. Further studies are needed to understand the epidemiology and the clinical significance of NTM in children.