HIV Infection and Non-tuberculous Mycobacteria: How Important in Southern European Countries?

Abstract

Non-tuberculous mycobacteria are considered important opportunistic infections in HIV-infected patients. In a large south-European HIV centre only 10 patients had non-tuberculous mycobacterial infection over a 5-y period. The importance of these infections in some areas, the usefulness of prophylaxis or routine use of mycobacterial blood cultures, may have to be re-considered.