Title: A Case of Pulmonary Non Tuberculous mycobacteria Mimicking Pulmonary Tuberculosis

Authors: Amit Goyal, N C Kajal, Amanpreet Kaur

 DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.18535/jmscr/v8i8.26

Abstract

Nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) are naturally-occurring organisms found in water, soil and wild animals. They are harmless to most people but when a person inhales the organism from the environment NTM led to lung infection.   Most people don’t become ill except for some susceptible individuals, a slowly progressive and destructive disease can occur. Chronic respiratory disease is a strong risk factor. Here, we report a case of pulmonary nontuberculous mycobacterial (NTM) infection with M. abscessus. This case highlights the diagnostic confusion which occurs when persistent sputum Acid- Fast Bacilli (AFB) smears are positive, but Nucleic acid amplification test is negative.

Keywords: Nontuberculous mycobacterium (NTM); Mycobacterium abscessus.

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Corresponding Author

Dr Amit Goyal

Junior Resident, Department of Chest and TB, Govt medical college, Amritsar, Circular Road, Amritsar, Punjab-143001, India