title: [IMPACT OF COEXISTING NONTUBERCULOUS MYCOBACTERIA DURING THE TREATMENT OF PULMONARY TUBERCULOSIS].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) are often detected in patients undergoing treatment for pulmonary tuberculosis. This clinical status is thought to represent NTM disease, contamination, or colonization, but discriminating between these three conditions is difficult.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We examined the clinical characteristics and pathogenicity of coexisting NTM among patients with pulmonary tuberculosis, as well as its impact on clinical practice.
  
  
  METHODS
  The subjects comprised 59 patients with pulmonary tuberculosis treated at the National Hospital Organization Utsunomiya National Hospital between January and December 2013. Patients in whom NTM was detected in one or more cultures were defined as the NTM group (19 patients), and they were compared to the non-NTM group (40 patients). Antiglycopeptidolipid (anti-GPL) core antibody titers were investigated in 18 patients from the NTM group.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We observed no significant difference in patient characteristics (age, sex, complications, history of pulmonary tuberculosis, lung disease, chest imaging findings, degree of smear positivity on admission) between the two groups. Mean duration of hospitalization was markedly longer for the NTM group, excluding those with coexisting NTM after discharge (98.8 ± 7.9 days), than for the non-NTM group (58.3 ± 3.5 days; p < 0.001). No anti-GPL core antibodies were detected in any of the 18 patients from the NTM group, including 13 patients who fulfilled the ATS/IDSA criteria.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Coexisting NTM observed during treatment for tuberculosis likely results from colonization or contamination and usually has low pathogenicity. However, this finding is related to prolonged hospitalization.
authors.forename: Otohiro
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Katsube
authors.forename: Yasuko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kikkawa
authors.forename: Hidenori
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Takizawa
authors.forename: Isano
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Hase
authors.forename: Hiroko
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Morita
authors.forename: Yushi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Nomura
authors.forename: Keisuke
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ogawa
authors.forename: Toshio
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Numao
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D060085:Coinfection / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology*; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009165:Mycobacterium Infections, Nontuberculous / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology*; D009170:Nontuberculous Mycobacteria; D014397:Tuberculosis, Pulmonary / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology*
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents