The effect of alcohol consumption in the treatment of nontuberculous mycobacteria

Abstract

Nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) are considered opportunistic pathogens. They are widely distributed in the environment, and several species are associated with a wide range of infections, most commonly affecting the lung. The increasing number of immunocompromised patients and predisposing diseases – such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), silicosis and bronchiectasis—as well as the increasing life expectancy of patients with cystic fibrosis, are factors contributing to a rising incidence of NTM disease. However, patients can develop NTM disease without any apparent underlying cause. This suggests that NTM disease is a multifaceted disease, and the genetic background or environmental exposures could, also, increase susceptibility to infection. Population-based studies across Europe report a steady increase in NTM isolation and related lung disease over time. In Portugal, epidemiological studies are scarce but are in line with these reports. Two studies, conducted in Lisbon Area, found NTM to account for approximately 12% of all mycobacterial isolates and hospital-based research showed a definite rise in the number of NTM isolates each year of the study, and 89% of those were found to be clinically significant, fulfilling the American Thoracic Society/Infectious Disease Society of America (ATS/IDSA) criteria.