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Background. This study describes the characteristics of patients with positive cultures of non-tuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) in respiratory samples and determines the risk factors that predispose for a reinfection with different NTM species. Methods. Patients with NTM isolates in respiratory samples between 2013 and 2017 were studied. Additionally, risk factors and comorbidities of reinfected patients were analyzed. Results. The study was focused on the 280 patients with NTM isolation (28 were reinfected with at least another species). Mycobacterium avium was the main isolated species. 68% were men. Median age was 73.2. Most remarkable risk factors were: tobacco, COPD and bronchiectasis. Bronchiectasis turned out to be a statistically significant risk factor for reinfection. Only 12 patients (12.4%) were treated. Conclusion. NTM were mainly identified in elderly patients. The most frequent comorbidities were COPD and smoking, whereas the most frequent species was M. avium. Previous bronchiectasis was a predisposing factor for reinfection.

Thank you for your gentle comments about our manuscript under the format of a letter to the editor.These comments give positive feedback to our research. They also contribute to a scientific debate to boost the research on cyclosporine A for COVID-19.We thank Dr Mac e M Schuurmans and Dr Ren e Hage for their comments about our manuscript under the format of a letter to the editor. These comments give positive feedback to our research. They also contribute to a scientific debate to boost the research on cyclosporine A for COVID-19.Firstly, CsA might use in those patients in the second stage of SARS-CoV-2 infection, the pulmonary phase1 [1]. Hypoxemia and bilateral lung infiltrates or ground-glass opacities characterizes this phase. Most hospitals admit patients into wards during this disease phase. The hypoxemia -as mentioned in the manuscript-should be defined as saturation of oxygen below 94% or PaO 2 /FiO 2 < 300 mmHg. Typically, blood tests detect lymphopenia or transaminitis. A rise of inflammatory parameters, such as d-dimer, ferritin, and C-protein reactive, is also identified. Those cases in stage III, systemic hyperinflammation, are, of course, also suitable for CsA therapy. The transition between both phases is rather dynamic, and probable most hospitalized cases share features of both pulmonary and hyperinflammatory stages.Secondly, in our opinion, CsA therapy should start as soon as possible in hospitalized patients. It also might work as rescue therapy in those cases which do not improve after supportive measures. Nowadays, the best standard of care might include dexamethasone 6 mg q. i.d. intravenously [2] -and thrombosis prophylaxis with low-molecular-weight heparin.