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Volume 31, Number 3—March 2025
Research
Mycobacterium nebraskense Isolated from Patients in Connecticut and Oregon, USA
Mark L. Metersky
, Ashley J. Losier, David A. Fraulino, Theodore A. Warnock, Cara D. Varley, Angela M. Le, Kevin L. Winthrop, John R. McArdle, Salika M. Shakir, and Reeti Khare
, Ashley J. Losier, David A. Fraulino, Theodore A. Warnock, Cara D. Varley, Angela M. Le, Kevin L. Winthrop, John R. McArdle, Salika M. Shakir, and Reeti Khare
Table 2
Summary of 11 cases of Mycobacterium nebraskense infection in Connecticut and Oregon, USA*
| Case no. | Year† | Age, y/sex | Underlying illnesses | Immunosuppressed | Met criteria for pulmonary disease‡ | Antimycobacterial treatment | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CT-C1 |
2008 |
61/M |
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease |
No |
Yes, assuming second M. scrofulaceum identification was M. nebraskense |
Yes |
Prolonged culture conversion |
| CT-C2 |
2018 |
69/F |
Bronchiectasis at initial isolation, ovarian cancer diagnosed in 2019 |
No initially, then prolonged chemotherapy |
Yes |
No |
Died from ovarian cancer in 2023 |
| CT-C3 |
2020 |
57/M |
Asthma |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
Persistent infection despite prolonged treatment |
| CT-C4 |
2020 |
24/F |
Primary ciliary dyskinesia |
No |
No, characteristic CT findings but only 1 positive culture |
No |
Spontaneous resolution of symptoms and CT findings, subsequent negative cultures |
| CT-C5 |
2022 |
64/F |
Asthma, bronchiectasis |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
Died from respiratory failure 6 weeks after initiating treatment |
| CT-C6 |
2022 |
44/F |
Interstitial lung disease from systemic sclerosis |
No |
No |
No |
Spontaneous culture conversion |
| CT-C7 |
2021 |
71/F |
Kidney transplantation |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
Symptom control with airway clearance alone |
| CT-C8 |
2021 |
69/M |
Chronic lymphocytic leukemia |
Yes |
No |
No |
Spontaneous culture conversion |
| CT-C9 |
2023 |
56/F |
None |
No |
No |
No |
Spontaneous resolution of symptoms and some CT findings, subsequent negative cultures |
| OR-C1 |
2015 |
82/F |
Gastroesophageal reflux, hiatal hernia, allergic rhinitis |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
Culture conversion during treatment |
| OR-C2 |
2014 |
71/F |
Bronchiectasis, type 2 diabetes, colon cancer |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
Converted after prolonged therapy, including surgical resection |
| Overall | NA | 60.7 ±15.7 (mean ±SD), 8/11 (73%) female | NA | 2/11 (18%) immunosuppressed at initial M. nebraskenske isolation | 7/11 (64%) met criteria for NTM-PD | 5/11 (45%) received antimycobacterial therapy | NA |
*Mycobacterium nebraskense was isolated from respiratory samples. CT-C, Connecticut-case; NA, not applicable; NTM, nontuberculous mycobacteria; NTM-PD, nontuberculous mycobacterial pulmonary disease; OR-C, Oregon-case. †Year M. nebraskense was first isolated. ‡Met the American Thoracic Society/Infectious Disease Society of America criteria for NTM-PD by having >2 positive cultures and characteristic CT imaging showing bronchiectasis or tree-in-bud nodularity.
Page created: December 16, 2024
Page updated: February 21, 2025
Page reviewed: February 21, 2025
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