Tuberc Respir Dis.  1971 Dec;18(4):29-37. 10.4046/trd.1971.18.4.29.

Pulmonary Disease Caused by Mycobacterium Kansasii

• KMID: 2529091
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4046/trd.1971.18.4.29

Abstract

Many questions remain unanswered regarding human disease caused by the Atypical Mycobacteria. This is particularly true of disease caused by Mycobacterium Kansasii (Runyon Group 1), especially as regards the epidemiology and source of Infection. For reason not yet clear, this disease is unusually prevalent in the Chicago suburban area of the United States. In this clinical summary, 144 cases of pulmonary disease caused by M. kansasii are reviewed and summarized as follows 1) Two-third of all cases were between the age of 30 to 60 and none of the case was found under 19 years of ages. 2) One-third (35% ) of all cases were asymptomatic when the pathology was discovered. Blood-tinged sputum or hemoptysis and cough either dry or productive are the most prevalent symptoms among the symptomatic group. 3) On admission film, more than 85 % of cases had pulmonary infiltration beyond the NTA cIassification of modera tely ad vanced disease. 4) In 97 % of the cases, the lesion was found on upper part of either one or both lung field, and cavitation was confirmed by Laminogram in more than 93 % of the aII cases. 5) Ventilatory function study showed slight degree of obstructive air way disease pattern in, one-third of 87 patients and 57 % were within normal Iimit of ventilatory function. 6) Drug susceptibility test showed considerable degree of resistance to various antituberculosis drugs compared to Mycobacterium tuberculosis. 7) By medical therapy alone, 82 % of patients were converted to negative within 6 months. 8) 60% of cases discharged with open negative cavity and 15% were confirmed as cavity cIosure by medical treatment. 9) 19% of patients were treated surgically and it was a remarkably lower use of surgical treatment compared with previous reports of others. 10) So far 4% of relapse r a te was observed in 6 months to 5 years follow up.