American Review of Respiratory Disease · 1990 · 899 citations · 81 references
MedicineInfectious DiseasesPathologyDiagnostic MicrobiologyMedical MicrobiologyPulmonologyBacterial InfectionsDiagnostic BacteriologyPulmonary TuberculosisRespiratory DiseaseRespiratory InfectionsTuberculosis DiagnosisCavitary Lung InfectionLung Biopsy DiagnosisMycobacterial DiagnosisMycobacterial DiseaseMycobacterial Granulomatous InflammationNontuberculous Mycobacterial InfectionsSputum ExaminationSputum Microbiology
Abstract Diagnostic Criteria of Nontuberculous Mycobacterial Lung Disease I. For patients with a cavitary infiltrate: 1. Two or more sputums or bronchial washings that are acid-fast bacilli smear positive and/or produce moderate to heavy growth on culture. 2. Exclusion of other reasonable causes for the disease. II. For patients with a noncavitary infiltrate: 1. Two or more sputums or bronchial washings that are acid-fast bacilli smear positive and/or produce moderate to heavy growth on culture. 2. The isolate is Mycobacterium avium complex or M. kansasii and cannot be cleared from the sputum with either bronchial hygiene or 2 wk of drug therapy. 3. Exclusion of other reasonable causes for the disease. III. For patients with a cavitary or noncavitary infiltrate whose sputum evaluations are nondiagnostic or another disease cannot be excluded: 1. Lung biopsy yields a NTM. 2. The biopsy shows mycobacterial histopathologic features (i.e., granulomatous inflammation) and two or more sputums are positive for a NTM even in low numbers.
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