[The trend of M. kansasii infection in Okayama Prefecture between 1994 and 2000].

The first case of pulmonary Mycobacterium kansasii infection in Okayama Prefecture was discovered in the Mizushima industrial area in 1976. Thereafter pulmonary M. kansasii infection spread to neighboring areas and increase in the number of the patients was reported in 1995. In the present study, new patients with M. kansasii infection between 1994 and 2000 were surveyed by questionnaires sent to 32 main hospitals in Okayama Prefecture. The results showed that 110 patients with pulmonary M. kansasii infection were documented by 20 hospitals. The number of new patients was 10 to 20 annually, and the number of new patients was stable after 1995. The new patients were documented in the center of the Mizushima industrial area and the geographic spread to the new neighboring area was not confirmed.