Nontuberculous Mycobacterial Infection in Children: A 2-Year Prospective Surveillance Study in The Netherlands

We performed a prospective, 2-year nationwide study to assess incidence and disease characteristics of suspected infections with nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) in children, via the Netherlands Pediatric Surveillance Unit. Data for 61 children were reported (median age, 31 months; interquartile range, 22-50 months; female sex, 37 subjects); 2 subjects had an underlying disease. Most children (53 [87%] of 61) had cervical lymph node enlargement, with abscess in 25 (47%) and fistula in 11 (21%). The estimated annual incidence of NTM infection was 77 cases per 100,000 children. In 16 children, the diagnosis was based solely on the results of skin tests with mycobacterial antigens. Cultures were performed in 36 cases and yielded mycobacteria in 27 (75%); Mycobacterium avium was isolated from 18 cultures. Children with a culture positive for mycobacteria did not differ in presentation, complications, or treatment from those whose cultures showed no growth. Thirty children underwent surgery, and chemotherapy was the single treatment in 24 (39%) of the cases. The treatment of localized NTM infection in immunocompetent children by antimycobacterial drugs should be evaluated further.