Infektionen mit nichttuberkulösen Mykobakterien bei Patienten mit Immundefekten

Infections caused by nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) cause a variety of clinical pictures, like nodular or cavitary lung infiltrations, lymphadenitis or lesions of the skin and soft tissue. In patients with innate or acquired immune deficiencies, an increase of disseminated but also local, atypical disease manifestations is observed. Detailed knowledge about underlying immune defects and the current immune status of patients with suspected NTM infections is indispensable to verify the detection of NTM in clinical specimens which does not necessarily account for a direct disease association. Differences in the growth kinetics of bacteria from the M. avium complex (MAC) which primarily cause lung diseases in contrast to the rapidly growing M. fortuitum and M. chelonae (RGM) involved in skin and soft tissue infections have to be considered in the diagnostics of NTM infections. Emergence of treatment strategies including biologicals in chronic inflammatory diseases resulted in an increase of local and disseminated NTM infections in the past. The duration of NTM treatment may be prolonged in patients with underlying immune deficiencies and disseminated infections. NTM prophylaxis should be discussed in HIV/AIDS patients with severe immune deficiency (CD4 ∈<∈50/μl) starting with antiretroviral therapy (cART) as NTM infections presenting as lymphadenitis are frequently observed in patients with immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome (IRIS).