Rapidly Growing Mycobacterial Lung Infection in Association With Esophageal Disorders

Cavitary Pulmonary Disease

“…Most affected patients are nonsmoking Caucasian women that are middle-aged or older. Gastroesophageal reflux and/or achalasia have been implicated as being risk factors for pulmonary disease with these organisms (137,141,195). Due to its prevalence, the radiographic findings of M. abscessus have been best described.…”

Pulmonary disease caused by nontuberculous mycobacteria

“…A long list of associations between certain medical conditions and the occurrence of NTM disease has been appreciated for many years and may reflect heightened susceptibility to NTM although the mechanism(s) by which this might occur generally remains obscure. This list includes: an array of preexisting structural lung diseases such as resulting from prior pulmonary tuberculosis, cystic fibrosis and other forms of bronchiectasis [48], chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), silicosis and other pneumoconiosis, conditions that might alter local or systemic host immune status ranging from alcoholism and smoking, esophageal reflux (especially with M. fortuitum/abscessus) [49], or sinus disease [50], to profound systemic alterations of innate or acquired immunity from IFN-γ production or receptor abnormalities or compromise from immune suppressing drugs and organ transplantation [40]. Interestingly, advanced HIV/AIDS, which has a clear association with systemic MAC, is much less frequently associated with PNTM particularly in patients receiving anti-retroviral therapy [51].…”

VirulentMycobacterium fortuitumRestricts NO Production by a Gamma Interferon-Activated J774 Cell Line and Phagosome-Lysosome Fusion

“…Human diseases are most commonly caused by accidental inoculation of contaminated materials (16). Disseminated cutaneous lesions have been frequently associated with immunosuppression (17,18,41). It has been noted that treatment of infections due to nontuberculous mycobacteria remains difficult, in part because mycobacteria are resistant to many of the first-line tuberculosis agents and in part because so few other agents are available for therapy (40).…”