title: The rapidly growing mycobacteria: saprophytes and parasites.
abstract: Rapidly growing mycobacteria are widespread saprophytes, but approximately one-third of identified species are also opportunistic pathogens in humans and animals, associated with skin, soft tissue, bone, and pulmonary infections as well as disseminated disease. Clinical and experimental evidence indicates a major role for the cell-mediated immune response in the pathogenesis of infection.
authors.affiliation: I.D.I.P. Department, The University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA. showard@salud.unm.edu
authors.forename: S T
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Howard
authors.forename: T F
authors.initials: TF
authors.lastname: Byrd
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004285:Dogs; D004783:Environmental Microbiology; D020387:Food Chain; D006801:Humans; D007111:Immunity, Cellular; D009165:Mycobacterium Infections, Nontuberculous / Q000276:immunology* / Q000382:microbiology; D009170:Nontuberculous Mycobacteria / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000472:pathogenicity*