UF Health Non-Tuberculous Mycobacterial (NTM) Clinic – Medical Specialties at Medical Plaza

The UF Nontuberculous Mycobacterial Disease Program is a multidisciplinary group of clinicians and scientists seeking a better scientific understanding of disease caused by nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) in order to provide better clinical diagnoses and management.

Mission

• To provide state-of-the-art clinical care and consultations on non-tuberculous mycobacterial diseases for patients and physicians
• To perform basic, translational and applied research to better understand NTM bacteria and the patients whom they infect
• To develop better methods for diagnosing, managing, and preventing NTM infections and related conditions, including bronchiectasis
• To perform clinical trials of new therapies or interventions of potential benefit to NTM patients
• To educate and train physicians, nurses and other health care professionals about NTM diseases

About NTM

NTM are environmental bacteria that are related to the more virulent pathogens that cause tuberculosis and leprosy. NTM are considered opportunistic pathogens, i.e., they usually only cause disease in persons who are immunocompromised or otherwise susceptible. These include patients who are immunocompromised by cancers, HIV infection, immunosuppressive medical treatments (e.g., TNF-alpha inhibitors used to treat rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn’s disease and other conditions), as well as patients who have underlying lung disease, including but not limited to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and bronchiectasis (associated with cystic fibrosis or other conditions). However, the largest group of patients now appears to be middle-aged and elderly women who are underweight and who have no known recognizied immunosuppression or lung disease.

Approximately 85% of NTM disease occurs in the lung, but NTM can cause infections of skin, lymph nodes and virtually any organ.

The diagnosis of NTM disease relies on demonstrating the NTM bacteria in sputum or other respiratory secretions or bodily fluids. As NTM are common in the environment and may occasionally ‘colonize’ the lung, i.e., be present but not cause infection, it is recommended that at least two sputa specimens confirm the presence of the same NTM species in a patient with signs and symptoms of the disease. Sometimes bronchoscopy procedures are necessary to collect respiratory secretions in patients who cannot produce sputa specimens. Usually the diagnostic evaluation also includes a search for associated conditions, such as cystic fibrosis, alpha-1-antitrypsin deficiency, gastroesophageal reflux disease, chronic aspiration, and others.