Geographic Distribution of Nontuberculous Mycobacterial Species Identified among Clinical Isolates in the United States, 2009-2013.
Alicen B SpauldingYi Ling LaiAdrian M ZelaznyKenneth N OlivierSameer S KadriD Rebecca PrevotsJennifer AdjemianPublished in: Annals of the American Thoracic Society (2018)
Significant geographic variation exists in the distribution of nontuberculous mycobacterial species in the United States. Whereas M. avium complex was the most common species isolated in the South, M. abscessus/M. chelonae was proportionately higher in the West. Greater clinical awareness in regions with increased levels of harder-to-treat mycobacteria are needed, given differences in treatment options and implications for patient outcomes.