Non-tuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) are ubiquitous environmental bacteria that can induce pulmonary and non-pulmonary diseases in susceptible persons. It is reported that the prevalence of NTM diseases is increasing in developed countries, but this differs by regions and countries. NTM species distribution and the rate of diseases caused by NTM vary widely in the historical territories of Moravia and Silesia (Czech Republic). This epidemiologic study of NTM diseases covers the period 2012-2018, reviews isolates obtained from patients with clinical disease and investigates correlations with related socio-economic and environmental factors. Individual NTM patients were included only once during the studied period and results were presented as incidence rate per year. The most frequently isolated NTM meeting the microbiological and clinical criteria in the study were the Mycobacterium avium-intracellulare complex, followed by Mycobacteriumkansasii and Mycobacteriumxenopi. A previously described endemic incidence of M.kansasii in the Karviná district and M.xenopi in the Ostrava district was also observed in this study. The incidence of NTM patients in the whole studied territory was 1.10/100,000 inhabitants (1.33/100,000 in men and 0.88/100,000 in women). The annual incidence of lymphadenitis in children (≤5 years of age) was 2.35/100,000 of the population of children during the 7 year period but increased in the year 2018 to 5.95/100,000. The rate of human tuberculosis in the studied area was 1.97/100,000 inhabitants. The incidence of NTM pulmonary diseases correlated with a lower socio-economic status (r = 0.63) and a higher concentration of benzo[a]pyrene pollution in the air (r = 0.64).

• Keywords
• Mycobacterium chelonae, heavy industry, mining, mycobacteriosis, occupational exposure, social deprivation,
• MeSH
• Mycobacterium Infections, Nontuberculous epidemiology   MeSH
• Child MeSH
• Incidence MeSH
• Middle Aged MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Nontuberculous Mycobacteria * MeSH
• Lung Diseases epidemiology   microbiology   MeSH
• Child, Preschool MeSH
• Prevalence MeSH
• Risk Factors MeSH
• Socioeconomic Factors MeSH
• Environment MeSH
• Check Tag
• Child MeSH
• Middle Aged MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Male MeSH
• Child, Preschool MeSH
• Female MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't MeSH
• Geographicals
• Czech Republic epidemiology   MeSH

Environmental mycobacteria (EM) constitute a health risk, particularly for immunocompromised people. Workers in heavy industry and in collieries represent an at-risk group of people as their immunity is often weakened by long-term employment in dusty environments, frequent smoking and an increased occurrence of pulmonary diseases. This study was concerned with the presence of EM in non-drinking water used for the hygiene of employees in six large industrial companies and collieries. Over a period of ten years, 1096 samples of surface water treated for hygiene purposes (treated surface water) and treated surface water diluted with mining water were examined. EM were detected in 63.4 and 41.5% samples of treated surface water and treated surface water diluted with mining water, respectively. Mycobacterium gordonae, M. avium-intracellulare and M. kansasii were the most frequently detected species. Adoption of suitable precautions should be enforced to reduce the incidence of mycobacteria in shower water and to decrease the infectious pressure on employees belonging to an at-risk group of people.

• MeSH
• Mycobacterium Infections, Nontuberculous epidemiology   MeSH
• Water Purification MeSH
• Mining * MeSH
• Metallurgy * MeSH
• Occupational Health MeSH
• Hygiene * MeSH
• Immunocompromised Host MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Water Microbiology * MeSH
• Mycobacterium isolation & purification   MeSH
• Risk Factors MeSH
• Water Supply standards   MeSH
• Check Tag
• Humans MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't MeSH