There is a lack of coordination and collaboration between investigators working to combat nontuberculous mycobacteria infections. NHLBI could provide incentives for research leadership on NTM issues.

1. Monotherapy with a quinolone vs combination therapy with a 3rd generation cephalosporin. The issue of the best antibiotic treatment for severe CAP has been a major area of contention now for a decade and it is the most common cause of infectious death in the United States.
2. Combination therapy vs monotherapy for pneumonia due to Pseudomonas. This is another major area of contention – for nearly 2 decades, and generates... more »

The true prevalence of Nontuberculous mycobacterial (NTM) lung infections remains incompletely understood, however several aspects of NTM lung disease prevalence are becoming more clear. NTM lung disease is currently more common in the U.S. than TB (by a factor of 3) and has consistently been shown to be increasing in prevalence. When viewed in the context of likely universal environmental NTM exposure this increasing... more »