Potentially pathogenic non-tuberculous mycobacteria in Poland

10 02 2025

We would like to invite you to the institute seminar: on Monday 17th of February at 2 pm in 102B room, MSc Paulina Wójtowicz from the Department of Medical Microbiology will present a seminar entitled „Alarming prevalence of potentially pathogenic NTM in natural and anthropogenic environments of Poland”.

Abstract:

A group of ca. 240 species of mycobacteria that neither cause tuberculosis (TB) nor leprosy are collectively called nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM). They are frequently found in diverse environmental niches as they occur in both natural and urbanized settings – even as harsh as municipal water distribution systems. The relationship between distribution in ecosystems and epidemiological potential of NTM is still unclear. Despite successful restraint of TB incidence, an increasing number of mycobacterioses cases (i.e. diseases caused by NTM) is being observed worldwide. The aim of this study was to describe, quantitatively and qualitatively, the diversity of NTM in natural and anthropogenic environments of five major cities of Poland.