Ostrava--a new endemic focus of Mycobacteria xenopi in the Czech Republic.

From February 1990 until late October 1991, M. xenopi was isolated from the sputa of 30 persons in one of the 4 boroughs of Ostrava. This species could also be identified in water samples and smears taken in 7 out of 14 tested households of both colonized persons and patients with mycobacteriosis xenopi. As established, the optimum conditions for multiplication of M. xenopi exist in exchanger units; control measures for this agent in the exchanger facilities are proposed.