title: Mycobacterium kansasii pulmonary diseases in Korea.
abstract: Mycobacterium kansasii is one of the most common cause of pulmonary diseases due to nontuberculous mycobacteria. We investigated the changing in the number of isolation of M. kansasii and the clinical characteristics of M. kansasii pulmonary disease in Korea. Through searching the database of the Korean Institute of Tuberculosis, we identified the cases of isolated M. kansasii from 1992 to 2002. The number of M. kansasii isolation had increased from once in 1992 to 62 in 2002. Fifteen patients with M. kansasii pulmonary disease were identified during the period January 1997 to December 2002. Twelve patients (80%) were male and fourteen (93%) were from highly industrialized areas. The most common symptom was a cough. Seven patients (47%) had a cavitary lesion and right upper lobe was most commonly involved. Patients responded well to isoniazid and rifampicin based regimens both bacteriologically and radiographically. In conclusion, M. kansasii isolation has increased, especially in highly industrialized areas, as well as other nontuberculous mycobacteria in Korea.
authors.affiliation: Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine and Lung Institute, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Jae-Joon
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Yim
authors.forename: Young-Kil
authors.initials: YK
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Woo Jin
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Lew
authors.forename: Gill-Han
authors.initials: GH
authors.lastname: Bai
authors.forename: Sung Koo
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Han
authors.forename: Young-Soo
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Shim
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007723:Korea / Q000453:epidemiology; D008171:Lung Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009165:Mycobacterium Infections, Nontuberculous / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D019909:Mycobacterium kansasii / Q000302:isolation & purification
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents