Recent Advances in Nontuberculous Mycobacteria (NTM)

Dear Colleagues,

Nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) constitute a group of over 180 Mycobacterium species, with the exception of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex and Mycobacterium leprae. NTM species can cause a variety of infections in humans and animals, including pneumonia, lung abscess, pleural infection, meningitis, lymphadenitis, and skin and soft tissue infection. Mycobacterioses are difficult to treat because therapy is long, expensive, more toxic, and more prone to failure than tuberculosis treatment. Recently, an increase in the number of infections caused by NTM bacilli has been recorded all over the world.

All NTM species are acid-fast; therefore, the staining of microscopic smears using fluorescence and the Ziehl–Neelsen methods is not sufficient for species identification, or for distinguishing NTM from MTBC species. The proper diagnosis of mycobacteriosis is based on clinical features and microbiological tests, including culture, histopathology and molecular methods. Knowing the capabilities and limitations of laboratory testing is critical to making the right clinical decisions. Hence, one of the most important roles of modern microbiology laboratories is the diagnosis and species identification of NTM, and distinguishing them from MTBC strains.

In this Special Issue, we will provide an overview of the current diagnostic options for suspected NTM infection.

Dr. Monika Kozińska
Prof. Dr. Ewa Augustynowicz-Kopec
Guest Editors

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