Background and ObjectivesRecent reports indicate that the incidence of nontuberculous mycobacterial-lung disease (NTM-LD) is increasing. This study aimed to investigate the epidemiology and clinical features of NTM-LD patients in Nagasaki prefecture, Japan to identify the negative prognostic factors for NTM-LD in Japan.MethodsThe medical records of patients newly diagnosed with NTM-LD in eleven hospitals in Nagasaki prefecture between January 2001 and February 2010 were reviewed. Data regarding the annual population of each region and the incidence of all forms of tuberculosis were collected to assess geographic variations in NTM-LD incidence, isolates, and radiological features.ResultsA total 975 patients were diagnosed with NTM-LD. The incidence increased over the study period and reached 11.0 and 10.1 per 100,000 population in 2008 and 2009, respectively. M. intracellulare was the most common pathogen in the southern region, and M. avium most common in other regions. The most common radiographic pattern was the nodular-bronchiectatic pattern. Age >60 years, body mass index <18.5 kg/m2, underlying lung disease, and cavitary pattern were the negative prognostic factors at the 1-year follow-up.ConclusionsThe incidence of NTM-LD has been increasing in Nagasaki prefecture. The isolates and radiographic features of patients vary markedly by region.

Pseudomonas spp. and anaerobes were isolated from patients with HCAP than from those with CAP. Conversely, more Streptococcus pneumoniae was detected and more penicillin was used in patients with CAP. This study provides additional evidence that HCAP should be distinguished from CAP and suggests the pathogenesis and therapeutic strategy for HCAP may be similar to those of hospital-acquired pneumonia (HAP). Seki et al., Page 3 3

Although viruses are the major pathogen that causes upper respiratory tract infection (URTI) and acute bronchitis, antibiotics have been prescribed. This was a prospective observational study in influenza epidemics that enrolled adult outpatients who visited a hospital with respiratory tract infection symptoms. In this study, we evaluated the usefulness of FilmArray respiratory panel (RP). Fifty patients were enrolled. FilmArray RP detected the pathogens in 28 patients. The common pathogens were influenza virus (n = 14), respiratory syncytial virus (n = 6), and human rhinovirus (n = 6). Of the 14 patients with influenza virus, 6 were negative for the antigen test. The physicians diagnosed and treated the patients without the result of FilmArray in this study. Of the patients with positive FilmArray RP, 9 were treated with antibiotics; however, bacteria were detected in only 3 patients. By implementing FilmArray RP, URTI and acute bronchitis would be precisely diagnosed, and inappropriate use of antibiotics can be reduced.

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Oral treatment for elderly outpatients with pneumonia is becoming increasingly important in this superaged society from the perspective of cost-effectiveness and limited hospital capacities. We evaluated the efficacy and safety of two oral respiratory quinolones, sitafloxacin and garenoxacin, in elderly patients with pneumonia. This randomized, multicenter, open-label trial was conducted among patients aged !65 years with clinically and radiographically confirmed pneumonia in Japan. Patients were randomly assigned (1:1) to receive either sitafloxacin (100 mg/day) or garenoxacin (400 mg/day) for 3e10 days. The primary efficacy endpoint was the clinical cure rate at 5e10 days after the end of treatment. From December 2013 to November 2017, we enrolled 120 patients at 11 hospitals and randomly assigned 59 patients to the sitafloxacin group (1 patient withdrew) and 61 patients to the garenoxacin group. These included 30 patients with nursing and healthcare-associated pneumonia (NHCAP) (18 receiving sitafloxacin, 12 receiving garenoxacin) and 37 patients with aspiration pneumonia (16 receiving sitafloxacin, 21 receiving garenoxacin). The clinical cure rates in the sitafloxacin and garenoxacin groups were 88.5% (95% confidence interval: 76.6e95.6) and 88.9% (95% confidence interval: 77.4e95.8), respectively. No significant differences were observed in the incidence rates of drug-related adverse events between the sitafloxacin (20.7%; 12/58 patients) and garenoxacin (27.9%; 17/61 patients) groups. The most common adverse event was hepatic dysfunction, which occurred in seven patients in each group. We conclude