%0 Journal Article %A Sergio Campainha %A Rosario Braga %A Isabel Valente %A Aurora Carvalho %A Raquel Duarte %T Nontuberculous mycobacteria – Isolation in respiratory specimens and its clinical relevance %D 2011 %J European Respiratory Journal %P 3393 %V 38 %N Suppl 55 %X Background: Nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) isolation have been increasingly described, particularly in developed countries. Few studies in Portugal characterize and report its clinical relevance.Aim: Characterize NTM isolated from respiratory samples between 2007-2010 at our center.Methods: Retrospective analysis of patients followed in our hospital with NTM isolation in at least one respiratory specimen.Results: NTM were isolated in 108 samples, 68 patients; mean age: 53,5±17,0 years; 60,3% male. Fourteen (20,6%) had HIV, eight with AIDS.Prior respiratory disease was present in 63,2% of patients, most frequently bronchiectasis (14;32,5%), tuberculosis sequelae (11;25,6%) and COPD (7;16,3%).Eleven species were isolated, mostly M. avium complex (MAC), including M. avium and M. intracellular (27; 39,7%) and M. gordonae (23,33,8%).We identified 22 (32,4%) cases of disease; 12 (54,5%) were female; 2 were HIV+. Seventeen (77,3%) had lung disease. One had multiple NTM disease (M. avium + M. genavense).The agents related to disease were MAC (16;72,7%); M. kansasii (2;9,1%); M. xenopi and M. gordonae (both 2;9,1%). MAC was associated to disease (p=0.001; OR=3.2). A trend towards significance was observed between HIV infection and NTM disease (p=0.074; OR=2,8).Discussion: M. gordonae was isolated in much higher frequency than that described in literature, possibly a geographical issue. Despite its little clinical significance when compared to MAC, it caused disease in 2 cases. NTM isolation didn't relate to lung disease in 67,6% of cases. We found a statistically significant association between illness and MAC isolation. Further studies are needed to describe NTM and its clinical significance. %U