To determine whether there is an increase in the incidence of nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) adenitis at our tertiary care pediatric hospital and to determine whether there is an association between geographic location and prevalence of cases. Also, to investigate the role of nongeographic risk factors such as bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccination in the incidence of NTM adenitis.
We conducted a retrospective chart review of 153 pediatric patients with NTM adenitis diagnosed between 1994 and 2004 and a prospective telephone survey of geographic and nongeographic risk factors for 82 patients.
The annual incidence, calculated with the number of hospitalizations for that year as the denominator, was 25.1 in 100,000 during the 1994-1998 period and 107.4 in 100,000 for 1999-2004. A statistically significant increase in the incidence of NTM adenitis was observed after 1999, with an incidence ratio of 4.28 (95% confidence interval 2.84-6.65; p