Laboratorial diagnosis and clinical importance of Non-Tuberculosis Mycobacterium (NTM)

Resumo

Non-tuberculosis Mycobacterium (NTM) is a bacterial group with pathogenic, phenotypic, and genotypic variability. These microorganisms have been grouped according to the growing and biochemical characteristics, and their ability to cause disease. Immunodeficient patients are the most frequently achieved, and laboratory identification is so difficult. The disease caused by NTM has a slow progress, and it is considered emerging and sometimes neglected. This literature review reports about major clinically relevant species of non-tuberculosis Mycobacterium, and the methods available for laboratory identification.