TY - JOUR T1 - Regimens for nontuberculous mycobacterial lung disease lack early bactericidal activity JF - European Respiratory Journal JO - Eur Respir J DO - 10.1183/13993003.00925-2015 SP - ERJ-00925-2015 AU - Michiel H.C. Slaats AU - Wouter Hoefsloot AU - Cecile Magis-Escurra AU - Martin J. Boeree AU - Melanie Wattenberg AU - Saskia Kuipers AU - Jakko van Ingen Y1 - 2015/12/02 UR - http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/early/2015/12/02/13993003.00925-2015.abstract N2 - Over recent decades, nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) have been increasingly recognised as causative agents of pulmonary infections in humans [1]. Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) bacteria are the most common NTM species causing pulmonary disease in humans [1]. Pulmonary disease caused by NTM (NTM-PD) usually presents as either nodular–bronchiectatic or fibrocavitary disease. NTM-PD requires complex multidrug antibiotic treatment to be continued for 12 months after culture conversion, typically for 18 months in total [1]. Despite this intensive treatment, good clinical and microbiological outcomes can only be attained in 60% of patients with MAC pulmonary disease [2]. Outcomes in nodular–bronchiectatic MAC pulmonary disease are better, with prolonged culture conversion attainable in up to 85% of patients [3].Treatment regimens for NTM lung disease lack early bactericidal activity and must be improved http://ow.ly/UyFdu ER -