Nontuberculous mycobacterial disease. Experience in a southern California hospital

Abstract

The experience with nontuberculous mycobacterial disease at an acute-care hospital in southern California between 1971-1981 is reported; 45 patients with nontuberculous mycobacterial or Mycobacterium bovis-caused disease were identified by retrospective review. Of these, 31 patients (69%) had pulmonary infection alone, 9 (20%) had cervical lymphadenitis, 2 (4%) had disseminated disease, 2 (4%) had cutaneous infection and 1 had soft tissue infection. Nonmycobacterial pulmonary disease was noted in 15 (33%) of the patients and underlying malignant neoplasms were noted in 8 (18%). Symptoms most frequently reported at initial examinations of patients with pulmonary disease were cough, weight loss, sputum production and fatigue. Response to therapy was more successful in patients with M. kansasii-caused disease than in those with M. avium-M. intracellulare-caused pulmonary disease. Nontuberculous mycobacterial disease evidently is not rare in the general hospital setting in southern California.