Present status of pulmonary atypical mycobacteriosis in community general hospitals

During five years from 1983 to 1987, 110 cases isolating atypical mycobacteria were observed in 13 general hospitals in Tokyo, Chiba and Kanagawa. Of these, 73 cases (56: M. avium complex, 14: M. kansasii, 2: M. zulgai) were diagnosed as mycobacteriosis according to the diagnostic standard of the joint research group of national sanatoria. There were no significant difference in the incidence of the species, the average age and the sex ratio between our date and the previous reports from national sanatoria for tuberculosis in Japan. One attention should also be paid to cases isolating atypical mycobacteria but not fitting the diagnostic standard.