Nontuberculous Mycobacteria: Ecology and Impact on Animal and Human Health

Abstract

Nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) represent an important group of environmentally saprophytic and potentially pathogenic bacteria that can cause serious mycobacterioses in humans and animals. The sources of infections often remain undetected except for soil- or water-borne, water-washed, water-based, or water-related infections caused by groups of the Mycobacterium (M.) avium complex; M. fortuitum; and other NTM species, including M. marinum infection, known as fish tank granuloma, and M. ulcerans infection, which is described as a Buruli ulcer. NTM could be considered as water-borne, air-borne, and soil-borne pathogens (sapronoses). A lot of clinically relevant NTM species could be considered due to the enormity of published data on permanent, periodic, transient, and incidental sapronoses. Interest is currently increasing in mycobacterioses diagnosed in humans and husbandry animals (esp. pigs) caused by NTM species present in peat bogs, potting soil, garden peat, bat and bird guano, and other matrices used as garden fertilizers. NTM are present in dust particles and in water aerosols, which represent certain factors during aerogenous infection in immunosuppressed host organisms during hospitalization, speleotherapy, and leisure activities. For this Special Issue, a collection of articles providing a current view of the research on NTM—including the clinical relevance, therapy, prevention of mycobacterioses, epidemiology, and ecology—are addressed.

Clinical and Pathological Findings Associated with Mycobacteriosis in Captive Syngnathids

“…This could be caused because the tissues were fixed in formalin for a long period and, consequently, the DNA could be degraded. On the other hand, the mycobacteria found may have been transmitted by water [ 34 ] and, according to the results of our study, the possibility that the mycobacteria were present in the water tanks of the Syngnathids should be highlighted. Further studies with the aim of investigating the possible origin of the mycobacterial contamination should be conducted.…”

Clinical characteristics of patients with non-tuberculous mycobacterial pulmonary disease: a seven-year follow-up study conducted in a certain tertiary hospital in Beijing

“…Firstly, NTM-PD is caused by environmental NTMs that have been found in soil, dust, water, and even in animals, which highlights the importance of environmental and animal health in NTM-PD prevention ( Lopeman et al., 2019 ; To et al., 2020 ). Measures such as better sanitation, proper disposal of animal waste, and the reduction of environmental pollution can potentially reduce the risk of NTM-PD transmission ( Pavlik et al., 2022 ). Secondly, the study found that impaired immune function is a high-risk factor for NTM-PD.…”

Divocí ptáci a savci v Nikaragui a její regionální rozvoj

“…Current research is focused on the incidence of NTM in bats. It was found that NTMs are abundant in bat faeces (up to 2 h) and subsequently in their guano (faeces older than 2 h; Modra et al, 2017;Pavlik et al, 2022a). It was even found that they are also contained in garden substrates with bat guano (unpublished data).…”

“…La investigación actual se centra en la incidencia de NTM en murciélagos. Se encontró que las NTM son abundantes en las heces de los murciélagos (hasta 2 h) y posteriormente en su guano (heces de más de 2 h; Modra et al, 2017;Pavlik et al, 2022a). Incluso se comprobó que también están contenidos en sustratos de jardín con guano de murciélago (datos no publicados).…”