NONTUBERCULOUS MYCOBACTERIAL PULMONARY DISEASE. PROBLEMS IN DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT

Abstract

To date, more than 200 non-tuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) have been identified. However, only a small number of them can cause infection in humans. The most common disease caused by NTM is NTM pulmonary disease. NTMs can be found in water and soil, and their detection in sputum alone is not proof of disease. NTM usually only causes infection when a person already has an underlying lung disease or an immune deficiency. Because the NTM pulmonary disease has a long incubation period and slowly developing non-specific symptoms, it can be difficult to distinguish it from other lung diseases with similar manifestations. Often, the diagnosis also takes time. Even after establishing the correct diagnosis, it is important to determine whether the benefits of the treatment outweigh the risks because the treatment is long, and its effect, in the case of some pathogens, may be limited.