Influence of pork consumption on human infection with Mycobacterium avian-intracellulare.

The hypothesis that eating pork from animals infected with organisms of the Mycobacterium avium-intracellular complex is a significant cause of human mycobacteriosis was examined by skin testing students with purified protein derivative from M. intracellulare to determine their sensitivity to M. avium-intracellulare. No significant differences in sensitivity could be demonstrated between those individuals who had never eaten pork and those who ate pork routinely. It was concluded that sensitivity to purified protein derivative from M. intracellulare in this population did not involve eating pork.