Why Should People With PCD Care About NTM?
So you may be wondering why non-tuberculous mycobacterial (NTM) infections (MAC, absessum, MAI, etc.) are of interest to people with PCD. NTMs are nasty and destructive bugs in the same family as Tuberculosis (TB) and there is increasing evidence that bronchiectasis-causing disorders contribute to acquisition of these bugs. At Family Day this summer, Dr. Knowles presented a slide indicating that 20% of PCD patients over the age of 29 in a small review had some form of NTM. Since that review, NTM has also been cultured from adolescent PCD patients. The current recommendation is that all PCD adults and adolescents, regardless of whether they are symptomatic or not, be cultured for NTMs annually. This requires a specialized culture called an AFB culture. There are several labs that do quality cultures. Contact the PCD Foundation for more information.