title: Occurrence of nontuberculous mycobacterial pulmonary infection in an endemic area of tuberculosis.
abstract: The majority of investigations of the epidemiology of nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) have focused on highly developed nations with a low prevalence of tuberculosis. In contrast, the Para state of north Brazil represents an area of high tuberculosis prevalence and increasing NTM incidence. Toward the goal of understanding the dynamics of infection by all Mycobacterium species, we report patient characteristics and the identification of NTM strains isolated from sputum samples from patients that were residents of Para, a state in the Amazon region, Northern of Brazil, over the period January 2010 through December 2011 (2 years). The 29 NTM patients comprised 13.5% of positive mycobacterial cultures over the 2-year period. A major risk factor for NTM pulmonary disease was previous tuberculosis (76%). Further, the average age of NTM patients (52 years) was significantly higher than that of tuberculosis patients (39 years) and more were female (72.4% vs. 37.4%). Unlike other Brazilian states, NTM pulmonary patients in Para were infected with a different spectrum of mycobacteria; primarily the rapidly growing Mycobacterium massiliense and Mycobacterium simiae complex.
authors.affiliation: Bacteriology and Mycology Section, Evandro Chagas Institute, Ananindeua, Para, Brazil. robertafusco@gmail.com
authors.forename: Ana Roberta
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Fusco da Costa
authors.forename: Joseph O
authors.initials: JO
authors.lastname: Falkinham
authors.forename: Maria Luiza
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Lopes
authors.forename: Adriana Rodrigues
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Barretto
authors.forename: João Soares
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Felicio
authors.forename: Lúcia Helena Messias
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: Sales
authors.forename: Jeann Ricardo da Costa
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Bahia
authors.forename: Emilyn Costa
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Conceição
authors.forename: Karla Valéria Batista
authors.initials: KV
authors.lastname: Lima
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009165:Mycobacterium Infections, Nontuberculous / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D009170:Nontuberculous Mycobacteria / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D018410:Pneumonia, Bacterial / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D012307:Risk Factors; D013183:Sputum / Q000382:microbiology