Faress Jihane A, McKinney Lisa A, Semaan Maroun T, Byrd Ryland P, Mehta Jay B, Roy Thomas M
Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Mountain Home, TN 37684-4000, USA.
South Med J. 2003 Jun;96(6):596-9. doi: 10.1097/01.SMJ.0000051142.37605.C5.
Mycobacterium xenopi (M. xenopi) is a slow-growing, nontuberculous mycobacterium (NTM). This organism is found in fresh water and has been isolated in water samples collected from water systems in homes and hospitals. Before the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome epidemic, M. xenopi infection was infrequent and occurred in clusters; however, M. xenopi is now a recognized cause of pulmonary infection in immunocompetent patients with preexisting lung disease. The classic chest x-ray appearance is cavitary apical pulmonary disease, which mimics tuberculosis. M. xenopi is currently one of the most common NTM pathogens in parts of England and Canada and has been reported in parts of the northeastern United States. Whether the isolation of M. xenopi from our patient in Tennessee represents a new geographic distribution of this organism or technologic advancements that now allow for reliable identification is debatable. This case serves as a reminder to clinicians that the incidence of NTM infection is rising in the United States and that unusual NTM are capable of causing disease even in patients who are not immunocompromised.
蟾分枝杆菌是一种生长缓慢的非结核分枝杆菌。这种微生物存在于淡水中，已从家庭和医院水系统采集的水样中分离出来。在获得性免疫缺陷综合征流行之前，蟾分枝杆菌感染并不常见且呈聚集性发生；然而，蟾分枝杆菌现在是患有基础肺部疾病的免疫功能正常患者肺部感染的一个公认病因。典型的胸部X线表现为空洞性肺尖部疾病，类似肺结核。蟾分枝杆菌目前是英格兰和加拿大部分地区最常见的非结核分枝杆菌病原体之一，在美国东北部部分地区也有报道。从我们田纳西州的患者身上分离出蟾分枝杆菌，是该微生物出现了新的地理分布，还是现在有了能实现可靠鉴定的技术进步，这存在争议。该病例提醒临床医生，非结核分枝杆菌感染在美国的发病率正在上升，即使在没有免疫功能低下的患者中，不常见的非结核分枝杆菌也能够引发疾病。
