El Zein S, Mendoza MA, Wilson JW. Nontuberculous mycobacterial infections in patients with hematologic malignancies and recipients of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.
Transpl Infect Dis 2023;
25 Suppl 1:e14127. [PMID:
37594211 DOI:
10.1111/tid.14127]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2023] [Revised: 07/17/2023] [Accepted: 08/08/2023] [Indexed: 08/19/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND
The incidence of mycobacterial infections in patients with hematologic malignancies and hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) recipients is increasing, contributing to significant mortality and morbidity. This review explores the epidemiology, risk factors, clinical presentation, diagnosis, and treatment of nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) in this population.
METHODS
A literature search was performed using PubMed with keywords and MeSH terms pertaining to the topics of nontuberculous mycobacteria, hematologic malignancies, hematopoietic stem cell transplant, cellular therapies, chimeric antigen therapies, epidemiology, diagnosis, and treatment. Additionally, we examined the reference lists of the included articles to identify other pertinent studies.
RESULTS
Diagnosing mycobacterial disease among patients with hematologic disease and treatment-associated immunosuppressive conditions is challenging due to the lack of distinctive clinical, radiographic, and laboratory markers, as well as the atypical manifestations compared to immunocompetent patients. Treatment involves using a combination of antibiotics for extended durations, coupled with strategies to achieve source control and reduce immunosuppression when feasible. This is complicated by the absence of clear data correlating in-vitro drug susceptibility and clinical outcome for many antimicrobials use to treat NTM, adverse drug-drug interactions, and the frequent challenges related to poor medication tolerability and toxicities.
CONCLUSION
The rising incidence and corresponding clinical challenges of mycobacterial infections in this unique patient population necessitate a heightened awareness and familiarity of NTM disease by clinicians to achieve timely diagnosis and favorable treatment outcomes.
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