PULMONARY-DISEASE CAUSED BY RAPIDLY GROWING MYCOBACTERIA

The role of rapidly growing mycobacteria (RGM) in pulmonary disease is unclear. We report one case of lung disease caused by RGM in a 6-year-old child with cystic fibrosis. Mycobacterium chelonae was identified and was susceptible only to kanamycin and clarithromycin. The child, who clinically improved with clarithromycin, received treatment for 12 months and negativity of cultures was obtained. Diagnosis of lung disease caused by RGM is based on microbiologic, histologic, radiographic and clinical criteria. The majority of cases are caused by Mycobacterium chelonae abscessus. This organism is uniformly resistant to standard antituberculosis drugs and many other antibiotics, but clarithromycin has excellent activity against it; clinical trials of this newer macrolide are ongoing to evaluate the role of this agent for treatment of M. chelonae abscessus lung disease.