PULMONARY-DISEASE CAUSED BY RAPIDLY GROWI NG MYCOBACTERIA

The role of rapidly growing mycobacteria (RGM) in pulmonary disease is unclear. We report one case of lung disease caused by RGM in a 6-year -old child with cystic fibrosis. Mycobacterium chelonae was identified and was susceptible only to kanamycin and clarithromycin. The child, who clinically improved with clarithromycin, received treatment for 12 months and negativity of cultures was obtained. Diagnosis of lung dis ease caused by RGM is based on microbiologic, histologic, radiographic and clinical criteria. The majority of cases are caused by Mycobacter ium chelonae abscessus. This organism is uniformly resistant to standa rd antituberculosis drugs and many other antibiotics, but clarithromyc in has excellent activity against it; clinical trials of this newer ma crolide are ongoing to evaluate the role of this agent for treatment o f M. chelonae abscessus lung disease.