Mazza-Stalder Jesica, Jaton-Ogay Katia, Nicod Laurent
Service de pneumologie, Institut de microbiologie CHUV, 1011 Lausanne.
Rev Med Suisse. 2009 Nov 18;5(226):2344-6, 2348-50.
The incidence of NTM (non tuberculous mycobacteria) pulmonary disease is increasing. The diagnosis must be established in the presence of clinical, radiological and microbiological findings. Groups at risk to contract pulmonary disease due to NTM are patients with underlying structural lung disease. Treatment of NTM is long and requires multiple drugs combinations. Relapses and re-infection are not rare. Our understanding in many matters of NTM pulmonary disease is incomplete. Further research is necessary in order to understand the host's defense mechanisms against NTM, and the factors that influence the evolution to lung disease.
