A Steady Increase in Nontuberculous Mycobacteriosis Mortality and Estimated Prevalence in Japan

Rationale: Pulmonary disease caused by nontuberculous mycobacteria is generally reported to have a good prognosis. However, the actual mortality rate over time has not been reported in a large-scale survey.Objectives: To determine the annual trend in mortality from nontuberculous mycobacteriosis, based on nearly four decades of patient data, and to estimate the prevalence of these cases in 2005.Methods: The annual mortality rate and regional...