CLINICAL-SIGNIFICANCE OF NONTUBERCULOUS MYCOBACTERIA ISOLATES IN A CANADIAN TERTIARY CARE CENTER

To determine the epidemiology and clinical features of disease due to nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) in our institution, we reviewed the medical records of all patients from whom NTM isolates were recovered from 1988 to 1990 to extract selected clinical and laboratory data. On the basis of the likelihood of infection, patients were classified as having definite, probable, or unlikely NTM disease as defined by publ ished guidelines. Of 80 patients who met the inclusion criteria, 17 ha d definite NTM disease, and 23 had probable NTM disease. No difference s in age, sex, presence of underlying pulmonary or nonpulmonary diseas e, or chest radiographic abnormalities were noted between patients wit h and without NTM disease. More than 85% of all definite or probable c ases were caused by Mycobacterium avium complex, Mycobacterium kansasi i, and Mycobacterium fortuitum complex. The diagnosis of NTM disease w as often delayed or missed, which resulted in unsatisfactory managemen t of patients. There is a need to educate physicians about the diagnos is and management of NTM infections.