Epidemiology of nontuberculous mycobacteria infection in children and young people with cystic fibrosis: analysis of UK Cystic Fibrosis Registry.

Background: Infection with nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) is of growing clinical concern in people with cystic fibrosis (CF). The epidemiology of infection in children and young people remains poorly understood. We wished to investigate the epidemiology of NTM infection in the paediatric age-group using data from the United Kingdom CF Registry.

Methods: Data from 2010-2015 for children and young people aged <16 years (23,200 observations from 5,333 unique individuals) were obtained. Univariate analysis of unique individuals comparing all key clinical factors and health outcomes to NTM status was performed. Identified significant factors were used to generate a multivariate logistic regression model, which following step-wise removal generated a final parsimonious model.

Results: The prevalence of individuals with a NTM positive respiratory culture increased every year from 2010 (45 [1.3%]) to 2015 (156 [3.8%]). Allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (OR 2.66, P = 5.0x10-8), age (OR 1.08, P = 3.4x10-10) and intermittent Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection (OR 1.51, P = 0.004) were significantly associated with NTM infection.

Conclusions: NTM infection is of increasing prevalence in the UK paediatric CF population. This study highlights the urgent need for work to establish effective treatment and prevention strategies for NTM infection in young people with CF.