A majority of the Mycobacterium species, called the nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM), are natural inhabitants of natural waters, engineered water systems, and soils. As a consequence of their ubiquitous distribution, humans are surrounded by these opportunistic pathogens. A cardinal feature of mycobacterial cells is the presence of a hydrophobic, lipid-rich outer membrane. The hydrophobicity o...

Nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) are a major cause of opportunistic infection in immunocompromised hosts. Because there is no evidence of person-to-person transmission and NTM have been found in drinking water, the environment is considered a likely source of infection. In this study the widespread occurrence of NTM was examined in drinking water, bottled water, and ice samples. A total of 139...

INTRODUCTION Many studies have shown epidemiological links between strains isolated in tap water, and those isolated from patients. Molecular methods linked to PCR are more reliable and faster for identification of non- tuberculous mycobacteria (NTM). In this study molecular methods were used for identification and typing of NTM. MATERIALS AND METHODS Five hundred ml of 85 water samples was p...

BACKGROUND The prevalence of pulmonary non-tuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) infection is reportedly increasing. A study was undertaken of the "isolation prevalence" of pulmonary NTM in Ontario, Canada between 1997 and 2003 and the frequency of pulmonary NTM "disease". METHODS In a retrospective cohort, the "isolation prevalence" was studied by reviewing all positive NTM culture results from the...

BACKGROUND Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTBC) and Non-tuberculosis Mycobacterium (NTM) infections differ clinically, making rapid identification and drug susceptibility testing (DST) very critical for infection control and drug therapy. This study aims to use World Health Organization (WHO) approved line probe assay (LPA) to differentiate mycobacterial isolates obtained from tuberculosis...

In response to two isolated cases of Mycobacterium chelonae infections in tattoo recipients where tap water was used to dilute ink, the New York City (NYC) Department of Health and Mental Hygiene conducted an investigation using Emergency Department (ED) syndromic surveillance to assess whether an outbreak was occuring. ED visits with chief complaints containing the key word "tattoo" from Novem...

Non-tuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) include more than 160 ubiquitous, environmental, acid-fast-staining bacterial species, some of which may cause disease in humans. Chronic pulmonary infection is the most common clinical manifestation. Although patients suffering from chronic lung diseases are particularly susceptible to NTM pulmonary disease, many affected patients have no apparent risk factor...

Background: The importance of non-tuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) infections in humans and animals in subSaharan Africa at the human-environment-livestock-wildlife interface has recently received increased attention. NTM are environmental opportunistic pathogens of humans and animals. Recent studies in pastoral ecosystems of Uganda detected NTM in humans with cervical lymphadenitis and cattle wi...

BACKGROUND Non-tuberculous mycobacteria (NTM), which are ubiquitous micro-organisms occurring in humans, animals and the environment, sometimes receive public health and veterinary attention as opportunistic disease-causing agents. In Tanzania, there is limited information regarding the diversity of NTM species, particularly at the human-livestock-wildlife interface such as the Serengeti ecosys...

The nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) are typically environmental organisms residing in soil and water. Although generally of low pathogenicity to humans, NTM can cause a wide array of clinical diseases; pulmonary disease is most frequent, followed by lymphadenitis in children, skin disease by M. marinum (particularly in fish tank fanciers), and other extrapulmonary or disseminated infections i...